Two Lufkin High School students earned Outstanding Performer awards at the state UIL Choir Solo and Ensemble competition earlier this year.

Senior Paige Hoelewyn and junior Emma Carlile both said they were happy to receive the honors for their vocal solos.

“I was very surprised when I received the award,” Paige said. “I had a good judge who was nice and not very intense. Basically, there are different difficulties of songs, and the higher you go on the level, then you have a higher chance of going to state, depending on how you do.”

Paige did a Level 1 song of difficulty, which means she could have gone to state for her performance. She said she was surprised when she received the award because she didn’t think she was the best the judge had heard all day. She said she felt a great sense of accomplishment to get the award, and that LHS Choir Director Nicole Stewart felt good about her performance.

Emma said she was “shocked,” because she didn’t know she could get the award.

Stewart said the awards were a big honor, considering the high number of students who competed that day. She said she didn’t have any doubts in Paige and Emma.

“They did a wonderful job, and I was very proud of them,” Stewart said. “The award that the ladies received was very different, because they were not in like a ‘first’ or ‘second’ place. They were being judged on the judges’ opinion, which in the end came out to be good.”

Overall, the LHS Choir had 27 students compete in the UIL Solo and Ensemble competition.