Norwalk students were at the high school from before sunrise until after midnight on Saturday, Feb. 7, for the state’s biggest show choir competition.

More than 20 schools came to Norwalk for the Nexus competition, according to showchoir.com.

“Nexus was just an awesome time, and I got to do two of my favorite things: hanging out with some of my closest friends and doing show choir,” Emma Wieland said. Wieland is a member of Sound Adrenaline, Norwalk’s JV show choir.

Ella Basinger, a member of Sound Adrenaline, another member of Sound Adrenaline, spent the day hosting Indianola’s high school show choirs.

“It was really fun getting to see all of the people there because I know most of them already,” Ella Basinger said. “And then a couple of weeks later, we went to Indianola Ascension, which is their show choir competition, and the people who met me at Nexus hosted for me at Ascension.”

Ella said the experience was a lot of fun.

“I talked to the chaperones, and the chaperones now love me,” she said. “I talked to the JV kids. They got my phone number off the whiteboard, and they still text me today.”

Norwalk students not only helped put on Nexus. They also performed.

Emma Wieland, a member of Sound Adrenaline, said she had one problem with Nexus: the heat of the stage lights.

“The stage lights were so hot, it felt like I was getting cooked on stage,” she said. “It kinda felt like one of those hot summer days where the wind makes it dryer.”

Aliyah Ullom, a member of Sound Adrenaline, said Nexus was good but a bit overwhelming.

“Nexus was a very fun event,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong. I love show choir and everything. But the competition can be a bit overwhelming with the judges and everybody looking and judging you when you’re singing and dancing.”

Benny Westfall-Bussanmas, a member of Sound Adrenaline, said that Nexus is one of the best events in all of show choir.

“Nexus is an incredible experience that I’m so glad to be a part of something like this,” he said. “The music, the singing, and the dancing were incredible and just an awesome vibe.”