After earning a coveted Sweepstakes Award at the recent 2008 State Solo and Ensemble Contest, the Bartlesville Mid-High School Orchestra (pictured is the Mid-High chamber ensemble) and the Bartlesville High School Orchestra – as well as the BHS and Mid-High bands – made their way to St. Louis during the weekend of April 25-27. The bands won first place – in their respective categories – in the 2008 Directors' Choice Festival while the combined BHS/Mid-High orchestra finished second in the competition to the Nashville School of Fine Arts. The 2008 Directors' Choice Festival featured participating schools from Missouri, Illinois, Alabama, Michigan, Tennessee and Oklahoma. While on the trip, the Bruin bands and orchestras took in several area tourist attractions including the famed St. Louis Arch, a riverboat ride, Six Flags amusement park, the St. Louis Zoo and a St. Louis Cardinals game.