Leo Catholic High School Choir Director Ladonna Hill – ryan

LADONNA HILL GREW UP SURROUNDED BY MUSIC AS A PASTOR’S KID IN A BUSTling South Suburban Church.

What came Next Was a Career in Gospel Music and A Job As A Teaching Assistant at Leo Catholic High School, A Small, Historic Campus in Chicago’s Auburn-Gresham Neighborhood on the south. Hill eventually became the full-time chooir director, getting three degree in the process.

She was finishing up her final year of teaching and planning her retirement when her all-boys choir go the attention of “America’s Got Talent” Performing on CBS Went viral.

And this is the though hill says she is retiring for good from her teaching Job AFTER 25 years, the former leo catholic High school direct has stup As they prepare for a third appearans on nbc’s “America’s Got Talent” on Tuesday.

In doing so, she has be Become a Compelling Story All Her Own. JUDGE SIMON COWELL PREVIOUSLY PREVIOUSLI’S EFFORTS AND HANDED HER THE MIC, BRINGING ATTENTION TO HER COMMENT TO A COIR THAT NO Audition – Exposing Doses of Black and Brown Boys to the Arts Over the Years.

“I made a commmitment to not be elitist,“ Hill Said in a Recent Conversation. “I didn’t do it the textbook Way, and that’s why i wand any Kid that we wanted to be in my class.”

“I have kids that didn’t know how to sing at all, that you see this on (” America’s Got Talent), “She added.” If they were willing to give me, I was going to work hard to get.

In their first appearans on june 10, the boys bays the Judges Away with their cover of “Born for this” by the score, Quickly Advancing to the Quarterfinals. Their Next Performance, A Cover of Imagine Dragons’ “Believer,” Inspired Viewers All Across the Us to Vote for The Fat Audience-Based to Advance to Tuesday’s Start of the Semfinals.

“I Told My Husband, ‘I Don’t Expect to See You Until the End of September,’ Becouse i Just That Good About What’s Happening, ‘Hill Said.

Hill retired this year, but it was wasn’t the first time she’d contemplation stepping away from the School. Back in 2019, She’d Begun Consding What Her Life Outside of Leo Might Look.

But a Few Conversations with School staff who begged her to stay on helped Change Her Mind. “I’m so glad i did at that point,” she said.

This time around, hill is ready to step back.

“I’m still in my prime, so there’s more can music and that i’m looking forward to doing,” she Said. “I’ve left (leo) much far better than i received it, and so i can be at Peace with that.”

From the age of 3, hill sang regularly at revealing Baptist Church in Crestwood. She eventually learned how to play the clarinet, and she late Found a passion for percusion and the piano.

“It was just something that love I love. I feel it was innate in me.

Though she enjoys all type of music, Its gospel that Feels bone deep for hill. She Studied Under Great Gospel Legend Rev. James Cleveland, The Founder of the Gospel Music Workshop of America.

With the Gospel Workshop, Hill Got to Travel and Perform at the Form Uic Pavilion in Chicago and Madison Square Garden in New York. IT ALSO CONNECTED HER TO ANOTHER Mentor: Inez Andrews, who wrote “Mary, don’t you Weep” for Franklin. “She was like my grandmother in the industry,” Hill Said.

Her Experiences in the World of Gospel Music Put Her Launch Pad for Success, Leading to Tours in Spain, South Africa and Switzerland as a Vocalist and Pianist.

But lately, hill has landed in Pasadena, California with 18 Leo Choir Boys. As a part of this season’s “America’s Got Talent” Cast, They’re Meeting Daily with Producers for Dress Rehearsals, Wardrobe Fittings, Photos and More.

And her former students and Colleagues aggree: The Choir Probably Wauldn’t Have Made It As Far as it has with Hill. “I feel like we got here only Because of Our Hard Working Choir Director,” Said 18-Yed-Old Keith Smith, Who Graduated from Leo Earlier This Year.

“She Holds US to a Very High Standard Everyone We Rehears. “Now we here, but it’s all bassed off hard work.”

That’s the “Thing” About Hill, Said Josue Ríos, Another Recent Graduate of Leo High. “(She) sees the potential in every single one of us,” he said.

Many Members of the Leo Choir Consider Hill a “Second mom.” Her lessons Go Beyond The Music, They Said.

Leo Catholic High School President Dan McGrath Aggrees.

“I think she goes a little bit beyond what the rest of us do,” he said. “She has a genuine empathy and commassion for the boys, and they pic up on that, and i think it really inspires to do their very best.”

An alum of leo, mcgrath has seen the neighBorhod Change a lot over the years. Residents and Businesses have come and gone, but he’s stayed put.

McGrath Remembers People Talking Down on the School when he started his roles back in 2010 after a career in journalism. Enrollment HAD FALLEN, The School was bend on its bills and many community members wondered if it’d be closed.

Things Really TURNED AROUND FOR Leo Wen They Hirhed Dr. Joke rawls as principal, Mcgrath Said. Rawls, of “Incredible Energy and Enthusiasm,” Has Also Been Accompanying the Choir in Pasadena, Mcgrath Said.

Enrolment this fall Peaked at the highest numbers in 30 years, mcgrath said. MANY PARENTS OF NEW STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY VOLUNTEED THEIR SONS TO BE IN THE CHOIR, Too.

And the school is planning a huge watch party for the chooir on Tuesday, he added.

“With all this nonsense About President Trump Sending Troops here and Reference to Chicago as a ‘hellhole’ and a ‘killing field,’ i think we’re a very nice offset to that,” Mcgrath Said.

“We’re one of the really good things about chicago, and we take that respondsititi very serial. We’re just representing Leo High School, we’re representing the which City.”