Amelia Morris named 2020 recipient of Rebecka Garavalia Lab Choir Award

Amelia Morris is the 2020 recipient of the Rebecka Garavalia Lab Choir Award.

This prestigious annual award is given in memory of beloved Benton educator, Rebecka Garavalia who died suddenly just before the beginning of the 2002-03 school year. Lab Choirs under the direction of Mrs. Garavalia were always rated superior and excellent at Music Contests and Festivals. The criteria for the Lab Choir award is based on the standards of excellence Mrs. Garavalia demanded of her choir members including excellence in responsibility, discipline, leadership and musicianship.

Chosen by her fellow choir members, Amelia exemplifies all the criteria for this award, according to music teacher Alisa Leffler.

“She is a leader in the classroom, a responsible student and an excellent musician,” Leffler said.

A four year chorus member Amelia also performs in local theatre. She is active in Pyramid Players, Artstarts and Kre8ive. She has also appeared on the Rend Lake College stage. Amelia was slated to appear as Sharpay Evans in the 2020 Benton Grade School production of High School Musical Jr. The show was cancelled due to the COVID19 Pandemic. Amelia is a three time Superior soloist in Music Contest and often performs The National Anthem at local events. She is a member of the Jazz Band, a student of dance and participates in the music ministry at First Christian Church Benton. The daughter of Matt and Joelle Morris, Amelia is the big sister to twin siblings Rachel and Willis.

“It will be hard to fill the hole Amelia will leave in the Lab Choir. She is an outstanding vocalist and will be greatly missed. It has been an honor working with Amelia and being a part of her vocal training” says Leffler.

Recent recipients of this award include Benton High School students Mady Darr(2016), Trinity Price(2017), Kadinz Wilson(2018) and Delaney Leffler(2019)