Oregon High School Senior Profiles, Oregon, Wisconsin

OHS senior Toni Hale’s singing career began with a video tape of her singing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" over and over again. Music made her happy then and continues to elevate her mood now. “Scientifically, singing releases endorphins,” Hale explains. “It makes me so happy. If something bad happens, I can sing it away: I love that feeling.”

Hale described the feeling of accomplishment she feels when singing a difficult song well. “At the winter concert, I sang a very difficult piece called the Benedictus. I was shaky about it at first but then I was singing it and basking in it and I knew I was doing well and felt great!”

As a member of the Thespian Society, Hale has sung in the OHS musical productions of "Oliver" and "The Sound of Music", playing the part of Lisle in the latter production. “ Anything musical I can get my hands into I’ll try,” Hale states proudly. She has played the clarinet since the sixth grade and participates in marching band. She has taken music theory and music composition classes and currently sings in both the concert and cantabile choirs.

Hale credits Ms. Jennifer Yancey, OHS choir teacher, with opening her eyes to vocal experiences that she could have and with encouraging her to pursue them. Hale reports, “One day, I was watching Ms Yancey helping us with a song, doing what she loves to do, and I thought: I want to do this some day, too.” Ms Yancey offered Hale the opportunity to teach the chamber choir the song "Poor Man Lazarus" and to conduct this same piece at the spring concert.

Currently a part-time employee at Pizza Hut, Hale, daughter of Stacy Hale and Tari Christensen, plans on attending college this fall and majoring in music education with a minor in Spanish.

Class of 2009
Toni Hale
OHS senior Toni Hale’s singing career began with a video tape of her singing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" over and over again. Music made her happy then and continues to elevate her mood now. “Scientifically, singing releases endorphins,” Hale explains. “It makes me so happy. If something bad happens, I can sing it away: I love that feeling.” Hale described the feeling of accomplishment she feels when singing a difficult song well. “At the winter concert, I sang a very difficult piece called the Benedictus. I was shaky about it at first but then I was singing it and basking in it and I knew I was doing well and felt great!” As a member of the Thespian Society, Hale has sung in the OHS musical productions of "Oliver" and "The Sound of Music", playing the part of Lisle in the latter production. “ Anything musical I can get my hands into I’ll try,” Hale states proudly. She has played the clarinet since the sixth grade and participates in marching band. She has taken music theory and music composition classes and currently sings in both the concert and cantabile choirs. Hale credits Ms. Jennifer Yancey, OHS choir teacher, with opening her eyes to vocal experiences that she could have and with encouraging her to pursue them. Hale reports, “One day, I was watching Ms Yancey helping us with a song, doing what she loves to do, and I thought: I want to do this some day, too.” Ms Yancey offered Hale the opportunity to teach the chamber choir the song "Poor Man Lazarus" and to conduct this same piece at the spring concert. Currently a part-time employee at Pizza Hut, Hale, daughter of Stacy Hale and Tari Christensen, plans on attending college this fall and majoring in music education with a minor in Spanish.	Nina Axelsson Jake Behling Ariana Bonsett-Veal Nicole Cunningham Monica Dahl Toni Hale Molly Hayman Alli Holznecht Breanna Huston Kaleb Karstetter Tayler O'Donnell Jeff Oemichen Alyssa Ottum Cerina Partridge Zach Prior Rachel Smith Statia Swenson Brooke Vander Wegen

Submitted by Peggy Hayman Oregon Choral Boosters