Tabor College vocal students earned first, second, and fifth-place awards at regional student auditions.

The event included 300 contestants who competed at the West Central Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

The highest honor went to sophomore Aaron Stepanek of Hillsboro, who placed first in the first-year men classical division. Freshman David Vogel of Hillsboro was runner-up in the same category. Both vocalists are students of Dr. Brad Vogel, associate professor of choral music. David is Dr. Vogel’s son.

Junior Kayla Vix of Maize, placed fifth in the upper-division of music theater performance. She also was a semi-finalist in the third-year women classical music division. She is a student of Dr. Holly Swartzendruber, assistant professor of vocal music.

The award-winning singers advanced through three rounds of judging and were compared with vocal students within a four-state area which included Wichita State University, Kansas State University, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Also performing for Tabor were senior Ashley Siler of Hays, a semifinalist in the third-year women classical division; sophomore Darren Enns of Hillsboro, second-year men classical division; and freshmen Hanna Bishop of Hays, Clarissa Berglund of Gettsyburg, S.D., and Maria Loewen of Hillsboro, all in the first-year women classical division.

The accompanist for Vix was junior Emily Olson of Newton. Freshman Maria Loewen of Hillsboro accompanied Stepanek, and sophomore Naomi Toews of Hesston accompanied Vogel.

Other accompanists included senior Meghann Eblen of Leavenworth, freshman Benjamin Heyen of Hillsboro, and junior Stephanie Wiens of Fresno, Calif.