As a freshman at Hahnville High School, Brayden Dishongh walked into his first choir class late after getting lost trying to find the choir room.
He was nervous and didn’t know what to expect. The class was filled mostly with seniors and juniors — he had earned a spot in the varsity-level vocal ensemble.
What he found in the choir room was a welcoming environment, thanks in large part to choir director Beth Dupuy.
“Ms. Dupuy’s been a major influence on my choir career,” Dishongh said.
By graduation, choir had become one of the defining parts of Dishongh’s high school experience, helping him earn a spot in the Louisiana Music Educators Association District VIII Honor Choir and a scholarship to sing at Faulkner University.
“I always loved music,” Dishongh said. “To me, music means almost everything. It’s a way to express yourself, and it’s just so beautiful when we’re all singing together, even if it’s not the same language.”
Dishongh said his family discovered he could sing when he sang at a church service as a second grader. He then joined the choir at Mimosa Elementary School and has been singing ever since.
At Hahnville, he earned a spot on the All-State Honor Choir each year. Through performances at Nicholls State University, he met students from across the region who shared the same passion for music. Long rehearsals and performances gave him the opportunity to learn from experienced directors and grow more confident as a performer.
“It’s cool to see a lot of people who share the same love of music and to grow those connections,” he said.
Dishongh said one of his favorite choir memories was a Christmas concert during his sophomore year that featured music in multiple languages and styles.
“It was the best concert we’ve ever put together,” he said. “It was a collection of songs in Latin and English and a lot of music that really brought people together.”
Dishongh, who was born and raised in St. Charles Parish, spent his high school years balancing choir and golf while staying involved in service organizations and church leadership activities. He was a member of the golf team and the Interact Club, and he also participated in the nationwide Lads to Leaders Convention, a Churches of Christ program focused on developing leadership skills in young people through public speaking, debate, scripture reading and song leading competitions.
Faith, he said, has guided much of his life.
“It’s opened so many doors for me and created many opportunities,” he said. “It’s been the guide of my life more than anything.”
Dishongh said the biggest challenge of entering high school was adjusting after years of disruptions caused by COVID-19 and Hurricane Ida. He said freshman year felt like his first truly normal school year since fifth grade.
Despite those disruptions, he said Hahnville provided a strong sense of community.
“All the teachers were very welcoming and excited to really learn about you personally and build a connection with you while also teaching you the subject,” Dishongh said.
As he looks ahead to college, Dishongh said one memory from senior year stands out above the rest: a water balloon fight on the last day of school.
“Even if you weren’t friends with a certain group of people, we were all having fun together,” he said. “That was the most fun we’ve had.”