Letter jackets are a rite of high school passage, one of the few physical mementos many people choose to keep with them as they go off to college and start their new lives. Many people assume letter jackets are only available to students in sport programs at the school but they are also available to students who participate in extracurricular activities, like choir. Each activity sets its own requirements for its group’s letter jackets.

“The decision comes from the sponsor or the teacher who sets the criteria for their group as to what their lettering is, and every group is different,” school store employee Julie Puckett said.

The requirements can range from a certain grade in a class to being in a certain band, choir, or orchestra.

“It takes 1000 points to get a letter jacket,” choir director Bethany Stuard said. “ And it is very structured, there are very specific things that you can do to earn points. You get some points just by being in choir, you get some points for trying out for All-Region, and even more points for actually making All-Region. You get points for doing solo and ensemble, for being in a pop group. So basically all these extra things that you can do to work toward getting that letter jacket.”

Often, the students who are eligible for a letter jacket tend to be sophomores and juniors as they have had more time to complete their 1000 point goal.

“Unless you make the All-State choir, you can’t get enough points as a freshman to get a letter,” Stuard said.  Most people will letter around the end of their sophomore or junior year if they’re doing a lot of the extra activities. And beyond that, with their jacket, they can achieve points to become a concert or master musician.”

The programs appreciate the ability to order a letter jacket, because it is an incentive to strive toward as their students advance through them.

“I do [think that my students like the ability to get a letter jacket in choir],” Stuard said. “I think it is something that motivates them to go that extra mile. There’s nothing automatic about it. You can’t just show up and get it, you have to do the extras. So I think it’s a real achievement and I think they can feel proud of lettering in choir once they achieve that goal.”

This incentive is a goal that many students aspire to reach throughout their choir career.

“I would like to letter in choir because it’s really fun and it’s cool to show that we can letter in something other than sports,” sophomore Madison Ray said.

When a student earns a letter jacket, there are limited opportunities to order.

“Letter jackets are ordered three times a year,” Puckett said. “Each teacher, sponsor, or coach decides which date they want to choose for their group to order. It’s in October, February, and April.”