Vintage High School choral students left of trail of songs around New York City during a recent visit. Fifty members of the concert choir, chaperones and teachers Mark Teeters and Jan Lanterman left March 23 to perform at the Heritage Festival of Gold at Riverside Church in Manhattan. But as the students enthusiastically recounted their adventures after their return March 28, it was clear they didn’t limit their songs to the competition.

On a visit to Ellis Island they sang an a capella version of Emma Lazaraus’ famous lines, “Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses ...”

“We also sang in a restaurant,” one student added.

On a visit to Ground Zero, the site where the Twin Towers collapsed on Sept. 11, the students sang  Rene Clausen’s “Kyrie,” a memorial to the victims of the attack.

“People came up to thank us,” Teeters commented.

Choral groups from high schools around the country converged on Manhattan for the festival, which invited the gold medal winners from a competition held last year in Hawaii. The students weren’t there so much to win more medals as sing and hear other top choirs perform.

“It was a great experience — the best performance we’ve done as a class,” said Jonathan Fetzer.

In addition to touring the Big Apple and singing, the students also took part in two Broadway workshops and attended a performance of “Wicked.”

For most of the students it was their first visit to New York, and many said it won’t be their last. “New York is just this amazing kind of place,” Will Raus said. “We were in Times Square and it was so amazing, but for the people who live there it was just like — so? I’d never want to live there and feel that way.”

Tetters said there was nary a discipline incident during the trip. “The students were great — and they were exhausted.”

“We were so busy — we were constantly running around. The idea that this was a vacation — don’t go there,” said Gina Austin, who said that Vintage teachers had approved their missing classes as long as they promised to be back in school for the last two days before spring break. “And here we are,” she added.

“We only had four hours to shop,” added Amanda Bennett.

Students had organized fundraising activities throughout the year to help pay for the trip, and agreed all the efforts were worth it.

“I guess this was one of those trips that my mom calls making memories,” said Patricia Franco.