PENDLETON — Stepping out in a completely new direction, the Pendletones, Pendleton Heights High School’s show choir, have been rehearsing like never before to reach a higher level of excellence in preparation for entering the show choir competition circuit.

“I love the energy of the choir this year – it’s just gone through the roof,” said Drake Reed, a senior who has spent his entire high school career in this group. “Everyone is so excited about the competitions and that has really fueled the fire.”

Although it’s been more than a decade since the group has performed in competitions with other show choirs, choral director Daniel Gallion is convinced this is the year to push the singers further to develop their talents.

“It’s another opportunity for the kids to perform and learn,” he said. “Our kids are really talented, and I think that they are ready to improve and this will help them to do that. When we see other schools at different levels, they are going to set the bar for themselves higher and they are going to reach higher.”

In only his second year at PHHS, Gallion already has a reputation for shaking up the status quo. Last year, his focus was on injecting the group into the community, such as staging shows at the Pendleton tree-lighting ceremony, the Festival of the Trees and a nearby nursing home.

While the Pendletones had a history of performing at these types of venues in the past, in recent years they have only been staging shows at the school with the other choirs.

“I really like all the changes,” senior Kristen Schmitz said. “We are able to do a lot more and the choir program is growing.”

It’s a good thing the students are behind the changes because a tougher rehearsal schedule has come with the package. Although the group is not accustomed to practicing outside of school hours, this year began with a camp in mid-August. Two-hour rehearsals are scheduled for every Thursday night and occasionally Saturdays are sacrificed to six-hour practices.

Keeping teenagers focused for that amount of time can be a challenge for a young teacher, but Gallion is getting high marks from the singers on his methods.

“Mr. Gallion has worked very hard to correct undisciplined behavior,” Reed said. “That is paying huge dividends right now.”

“He is regimented and strict and keeps a tight rein on us,” Schmitz added. “We pay attention.”

His success with the kids is evident from a distance as the melodic tunes waft down the hallways of PHHS. Knowing what works comes from experience as a student as well as a teacher. Not only has he taught at Batesville Middle/High School and Mount Vernon High School, he was in the Ball State University Singers and the show choir at Carmel High School.

In fact, his years at Carmel tied him to Pendleton in a strange way — his director, Lamont Kuskye, had taught at PHHS before moving to Carmel.

“There has been so much excitement from the kids,” Gallion said. “They love the music that we are doing, they’ve enjoyed being challenged with the choreography, and they enjoy getting together with other kids that are at the top notch level. They are excited to compete even thought they don’t know exactly what they are getting themselves into.”

Although the excitement is flowing in all directions — even from the parents — Gallion is being careful about jumping in too far too fast or becoming preoccupied with the competitions. This year the Pendletones are only entering a competition at Lawrence Central on Feb. 27 and one at North Central on March 6.