As the soft stage lights hit the stage in the Coppell High School Auditorium, an angelic voice hits the air. The audience members sit in awe, watching her sing with a face filled with expression and effortless vocals.
Senior Divya Ghanta has lived in Coppell her entire life. From going to Denton Creek Elementary School to Coppell Middle School North and now at CHS, she holds a close bond to the school. As of the current, Ghanta is a mixed choir, A Cappella member, Madrigal and historian.
“I started taking voice lessons and was part of the Children’s Chorus of Greater Dallas in sixth grade and I felt like I liked it a lot and stuck with it, and here I am,” Ghanta said..
Ghanta has been playing the piano since kindergarten. When her sister, 2019 CHS graduate Neha Ghanta, started playing, it inspired her to learn as well, and her love for the ivory keys still burns today.
“I’ve been playing since I was young. My sister started playing piano and watching her made me want to learn and I still play up till now,” Ghanta said.
Ghanta dabbled in the different types of fine arts classes to see which one she would truly find a profound passion for. Already playing the piano, she decided to join the Coppell Middle School North Band where she played the flute for two years.
“I started to explore music more outside of school and my love and passion for choir grew and now I am a really involved member of the choir program here in Coppell,” Ghanta said.
Ghanta decided to make the switch in her freshman year and joined choir. As she looked forward to her first year as a choir student, COVID-19 shut the world down.
Navigating choir during COVID-19 in her first year of high school was a new and chaotic experience.
“It was an interesting experience, I think I hadn’t experienced school choir up until then and it definitely was really hard. It didn’t really feel like the choir experience, since you’re singing alone in your room and recording,” Ghanta said.
Unlike the typical high school choir performance, she found herself performing in the limits of her own room instead. She felt choir did not hold the comfort it currently provides.
Over the past four years, Ghanta has gained attention for not only her melidious voice, but also her compassionate personality.
“She has a heart of gold, I’m not exaggerating,” senior Madrigal Akshara Goli said. “She’s such a kind person to anyone she knows. She radiates this type of energy that makes everyone feel so welcome and that’s the best thing I love about her.”
Since joining choir, Ghanta has discovered a newfound community within the choir. Within this group, she has found some of her dearest friends and experienced personal growth.
Ghanta actively contributes to the Coppell choir community, while still recognizing the significance of academics. Ghanta emphasizes that with the right balance between managing academics and extracurricular activities.
“More than anything, if you like it then you can put that effort into it and pursue that,” Ghanta said. “Having officer duties and heavy schedules is hard, but it makes it easier to be around the people that you like. Even though it’s a lot of work, it’s nice to be in that community with them and know that they’re there.”
Ghanta plans to pursue public health in college, inspired by her mother who is an oncologist. She does not want to forget her passion and talent for music and hopes to join a choir or music related club even in college.
“I am hoping that wherever I end up for college, I can join a choir or just a club that’s singing or piano related. It’s been such a big part of my life up until now and I can’t imagine dropping it as soon as I go to college,” Ghanta said.
Over the course of the last four years, Ghanta has navigated through the twists and turns of high school and choir, experiencing growth along the way. She has found a beautiful and loving community of people, making lifelong memories.
“If I could give any advice to anyone it would be to find what you can have fun doing because no matter what you do in high school, it’s going to be work. Find a place where you fit in and are passionate about and take it from there,” Ghanta said.
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