Some students at Warsaw found passions through music and want to go further to make careers out of those passions. Junior Grace Drake is one such student. Drake found a love for music at a very young age and knew she wanted to achieve something with it. 

   “My passion for singing started when I was about eight years old and, since, it has grown to be more than a passion over time,” Drake said. 

   She has been a part of choir since elementary school. This will be her eighth year contributing to Warsaw’s singing programs. She also volunteers to sing at events with her church in her free time. Drake is a part of the alto section in choir as well as leader of the second sopranos in many of the songs they perform. However, like most things, there are some challenges that Drake faces.

   “Some main struggles I have in singing would have to be not having a warm enough voice, sometimes I jump right in without being warm and it throws a lot of things off. Also relearning parts of songs can be a struggle,” Drake said.

   Drake is going to strive to get a scholarship for college so she is able to build a career for the thing she loves most.

   “I have a main goal to get a scholarship through choir so I don’t have to pay for as much college further on. I also hope to gain enough musical understanding to share my gift and love of singing with others,” Drake said. 

   “I’m pretty sure music plays a major role in Grace’s daily life. She’s been involved with music from a very young age. I know she wants to be a singer/songwriter and that’s not something you just do every now and then. I bet her brain is always thinking of something she can try musically.  I would venture to say that music is what keeps her going,” choir director Deanna Schockmann said. 

   Drake works hard to do her best and encourages others to also put forth much effort to achieve their best. 

   “Her enthusiasm about music in and out of school inspires others to do what they are passionate about,” junior Josephine Kelsey said. 

   Drake has high hopes for her future. 

   ¨I’m excited for what my future may bring. I want to write songs and, one day, get them published for them to be something that most people know and have heard. Music is my dream,” Drake said.