Waltham Choral Parents Association is a ‘PTO program on steroids”  

The Waltham Choral Parents Association (WCPA) is running its annual show choir sweepstakes, which offers community members the chance to win several cash prizes in exchange for donations to the performance groups. Winners will be drawn Dec. 8. The organization has raised $1,055, or about 2% of its $45,000 goal.

WCPA board member Jade Longstaff described the organization as a “PTO program on steroids.” Set up as a 501(c)(3) volunteer-run nonprofit, WCPA supports Waltham High School’s show choir program by raising the majority of its budget via these types of fundraisers.

The program carries a hefty price tag. Expenses include hiring professional choreographers and composers, paying license fees for copyrighted music, buying costumes, traveling to competitions and producing stage shows. The group also provides snacks for weekend rehearsals that can run up to eight hours.

At many other schools students are charged fees ranging from $500 to $2,000 to help cover such costs, Longstaff said. But the expense may be an obstacle for many Waltham families. So a group of Waltham parents started WCPA in 1996 to raise funds to cover costs for all show choir students. The school provides additional support, which helps with necessities such as buses. Community grants including the Jones Partnership Fund through First Parish in Waltham also help support the program.

This work has paid off. This year more than 140 students are participating in the program, and none was required to pay a fee. This financial equity allows all those who are placed via auditions to compete, resulting in the mix of students from different backgrounds who have worked together to take home awards including three Grand Champions and four Best Band titles last season.

Longstaff, a Waltham resident for about 20 years and a WCPA member for three, said she is an “enthusiastic supporter of the fine arts.” Her daughter is in the show choir program, and she has witnessed firsthand the positive impact the program has on students. 

“What many take away from sport, [they can find] exponentially in show choir,” Longstaff said. 

The students learn leadership and collaboration skills. Students may fall ill or get injured, forcing them to sit out shows and cheer on their teammates – experiences that teach them resilience and coping with setbacks, she said.

Support from the Community

Much of WCPA’s work happens behind the scenes. 

“A lot to the students is invisible,” Longstaff said of WCPA’s financial support, but she also noted more obvious sources of help, including financial aid available to help pay for the big trips out of New England that the group plans every other year. 

Students also help with fundraising. They’re selling tickets during the current fundraiser and will help at the WCPA Christmas tree fundraiser in December.

Community support has been key to the program’s success. “We could not do the fundraising that we do without the support of the community,” Longstaff said. Pini’s Pizzeria has donated pizzas to the students in the past, and other businesses have donated drinks and snacks. The WCPA is responsible for making these connections and is aided by a diverse leadership and the contacts that they make with community members.

The WCPA’s largest fundraiser is the annual Eastern Show Choir Festival held at Waltham High School during the last week of March. The event generates more than $10,000 for the group. During that event, Longstaff said 30 to 40 unpaid volunteers assist with security, sell merchandise and food, and greet guests. Planning for the 2026 festival will get underway in the new year.

Looking ahead, Longstaff said she’s most excited about the reveal of this season’s choir sets. While hints of the songs and costumes are given in advance, the full product won’t be revealed until the first performance. 

“When they perform in their home school for their home audience, the kids have so much fun,” Longstaff said. “They’re like rock stars, they have all their friends and family screaming for them.”

More information is available on the WCPA website and through the group’s Facebook and Instagram feeds.