The students’ clothes plastered against their bodies and flailed behind them. The wind raged around the choir members at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour during their visit to the Pali Highway lookout in Honolulu, Hawaii during the annual choir trip, March 23-28.

“Pali lookout was so much fun!” Brianne Raymer, ’06, said. “I’ve never seen anything like it before. You jump up in the air and go flying because the wind is so strong!”

Many attractions engrossed students while on their Polynesian excursion. Popular attractions included snorkeling, surfing and shopping at an International Market.

“Surfing at Waikiki beach was my favorite activity because I had never done it before, and I got to enjoy it with all of my friends,” Matthew Brouwer, ’06, said. “We all did well and had fun.”

After days of eating at Subway or McDonald’s for most meals, students drove out to a popular luau eatery for dinner on March 26. Among the extensive menu selections were typical Hawaiian delicacies including poi and roasted pork.

“The food at Germaine’s Luau was great,” Kathleen von Oehsen, ’04, said. “It was mostly food that you don’t eat or can’t get in Fresno. The best part was the teriyaki beef and the rice noodles; they tasted really good.”

The food was not the only interesting experience at the luau. The floorshow entertainment added to the Hawaiian atmosphere.

“The hula dances were off-the-hinges!” Hillary Kell, ’05, said. “They [the dancers] could move their hips so fast; it was amazing. It’s such an amazing, challenging art.””

Audience participation also enhanced the Polynesian atmosphere.

“The best part of the luau was when Josh [Wright, ?05] volunteered for the hula competition,” Jesse Madsen, ’05, said. “He did a great job and we cheered for him to win, and he did win.”

The campus choir performed seven times during the trip. Among the performance locations were two churches, the Ala Moana Mall, the luau, the University of Hawaii and two retirement homes.

“The performances were the highlight of the trip for me,” Marc Ferguson, choir director, said. “It’s the main reason we were in Hawaii. The best concert was at the Ala Moana Center stage because the audience was so enthusiastic and responsive. They energized us as a choir.”

The campus concert choir and ensemble will be performing at First Congregational Church on Van Ness Avenue, beginning at 7:30 P.M on May 4.

” “Katrina Stevenson, ’06” “As members of the campus choir, students traveled to Hawaii to sing in churches and experience Hawaiian culture on Mar. 23-28. Here, chaperone and campus Bible teacher Robert Foshee and sophomores Andrea Munoz and April Chapple go “”bling bling”” as Derek George, ’06, looks on.” “” “” “Insert text here