At Ransom Everglades, students involved in the performing arts are encouraged to explore, examine, and experience. The new Vocal Ensemble class, now in its second year, is no exception. Taught by Ms. Laura Montes, a performing arts teacher now in her third year, the class has seen impressive growth since its inception, providing students with a new avenue to showcase their creativity and imagination.
From musical theatre club to jazz band, RE has long promoted innovative extracurricular programs—including choir groups—that allow students to explore new skills or simply express a passion for performing. Historically, however, performing arts clubs have faced a challenge in generating consistent support and involvement from the student body.
“RE used to have a vocal ensemble years ago, but it fizzled out due to lack of consistency,” recounted Montes.
This is part of the reason why the Arts Department decided to reintroduce the new and improved Vocal Ensemble as an official class at the beginning of last year. Having a designated class period dedicated to perfecting students’ skills without taking time away from everything else is vital to developing true musicianship, Montes explained. “Consistency is key,” she said.
Being designated as a course also allows the Vocal Ensemble to strive for excellence. “It is fun, but it is still rigorous. Our goal is to compete nationally,” Montes said. The class has high expectations; Montes requires commitment and dedication from her students. As the class grows, Montes hopes to further expand the program by organizing the class in tiers. At the same time, she also said she hopes to create an open and inclusive space for students to focus on developing and polishing their musicianship. One of her foremost goals is to nurture students’ love for the performing arts in ways that align with the values of the school.
From day one, the Vocal Ensemble was received positively by the student body. Students were quick to join the class. “The class had a good number of members from the start, around 23-25 members, and has continued to grow since,” recounted Montes.
So far, the Vocal Ensemble has performed during assemblies, holiday celebrations, and lunch. Most recently, the vocal ensemble performed at the Hispanic Heritage Month Assembly, where they performed a song in Spanish. One of the many goals for the group is to expand support for the arts at RE by allowing the whole school to come together and watch performances. “Our performances add color and a more engaging aspect to school events,” said Montes.
Their performances have been well received. “I love it when there is a performance during assemblies; it really keeps me engaged, and it is really entertaining,” said Carli Duenas ’25. Another student, Alex Russoniello ’26, said, “Hearing music and watching a performance during lunch is a nice change of pace from all the stress of school.” From Montes’ perspective, sharing their musicianship encourages students to explore their emotions, expand their imaginations, and develop their voice. The ensemble hopes to participate in more events as they strive to create a lasting impact on the arts at RE.
