Chelmsford High School Team Wins Region Title, Advances To Finals

CHELMSFORD, MA — A Chelmsford High School a cappella group won the International Championship of High School A Cappella Northeast Region title for the fourth straight year and will move on to the final May 8.

The international championship was virtual this year, with a cappella groups submitting their performances via video, because of the pandemic. Chelmsford's "The Thursdays" topped the Northeast Region with 399 points – based on categories such as musical, vocal and visual quality and video editing – with their performance of the song Evergreen by the artist Yebba.

Junior Jackie Pottle was named outstanding soloist of the region. Senior Joshua Timmins received the honor for outstanding vocal percussion.

“The key to [The Thursdays'] success is the clarity of intent in the crafting of their set,” said high school choir director and adviser to The Thursdays Amanda Roeder. “They have a clear vision of what they want to communicate to their audience. There is a collective buy-in from the group. Every individual recognizes their responsibility to the group.”

The Thursdays' video editors – seniors Allison Dorsey, Maya Chan and Mary Hamilton, as well as Roeder – will make the tweaks to their submission and send it to for review in the next round by April 26.

In 2019, the group came in third at the championship in New York City’s Town Hall Theater.

Although The Thursdays have had success in recent years, the group members said no one knew what to expect from 2021, especially since video presentation became a vital - and new- element of the criteria.

“We went into this with no expectation. We just wanted to create a project we were proud of. All the success and recognition has been gravy," Timmins said. " But I don’t think any of us were expecting to win and go to the finals.”

Northern Lights, a group representing Plymouth North High School, came in second with 389 points, while Vibe, of Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy (N.Y.)., placed third.

“We’re ecstatic at how far we’ve gone,” said Pottle. “It feels like the work we’ve put in is something to be proud of, and we felt like this even before the semifinal."

The Crescendos, also representing Chelmsford, advanced to the Northeast Region final with their quarterfinal performance of U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2 and Otherside by Perfume Genius, but did not advance to the final.