Pearl River Central Middle School and High School show choirs, New Edition and Central Attraction, placed first in their divisions at the Mississippi Show Choir Contest at Pearl River Community College this past weekend.

Central Attraction member Hunter King won Grand Champion Solo Award, and the group was second runner up in the finals competition.

“I am so proud of the work these students have put in to prepare for competition season,” said Debbie Wolfe, show choir director for both groups. “They are passionate, dedicated students with whom I am blessed to work. I am also thankful for administrators that support us and encourage us throughout the year.”

This is the first year since Hurricane Katrina destroyed the PRCC performance venues that the Mississippi Show Choir Contest, which is hosted by PRCC, was held on the Poplarville campus.

In the previous years, the contest was hosted by PRCC on William Carey University’s campus in Hattiesburg, said LaDona Tyson, PRCC choral director and assistant director for Brownstone Center of the Arts.

“I think the competition went really well and it was really great to have it back on campus,” Tyson said.

She said she hopes they have more groups come and compete next year.

“I think getting to perform at the start of the art facility was just really special for them,” Tyson said about the students who competed.

PRCC’s The Voices and show choir RiverRoad both performed at the two-day competition.

Tyson said having the middle school and high school students watch PRCC’s choral groups perform shows them that they can continue to perform after high school and even receive scholarships for what they enjoy doing.

The Auburn Varsity Singers from Alabama were named Grand Champion Show Choir