Elwood-John H. Glenn High School senior Melina Neofitos was selected to perform in the National Association for Music Education’s 2025 All-Eastern Honors Treble Choir. The All-Eastern Honors Ensembles bring together 600 of the most talented student musicians from 11 states across the Northeast, including Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, D.C. This year's NAfME conference and performances were held in Hartford, Connecticut on April 24-27.

To be accepted into one of the All-Eastern honors ensembles, students must undergo a rigorous selection process where they are evaluated by an All-State judge, and must be ranked in the top of their region. Neofitos was one of only 120 students selected to perform in the Honors Treble Choir, with only 31 participants coming from New York State.  Additionally, she was selected to perform a solo in the Paul David Thomas song “I’ll Never Study,” a piece written in honor of the centennial of the 19th amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women’s constitutional right to vote. The text was inspired by a satirical poem by feminist writer and suffragette Alice Duer Miller. 

“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” Neofitos said. “I was able to meet people from all over the Northeast and had the chance to sing one of my favorite solos I’ve ever done. It was definitely the experience of a lifetime, and I’m so grateful for having been chosen to participate.”

At John Glenn, Neofitos has been featured in the school’s annual spring musicals, including leading roles as Velma Kelly in “Chicago: Teen Edition” and The Witch in “Into the Woods.” She is a member of John Glenn’s concert choir and Acappelwood vocal ensemble, and serves as president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She will attend the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford in the fall, pursuing a degree in music education.

Date Added: 4/28/2025