MOULTRIE, Ga. – When Travis Kern was setting up a trip to Italy for the Colquitt County High A Cappella Choir, he asked the tour guide to see if there was an opportunity for the group to sing at the Vatican.

Kern, now in his seventh year as the high school choral director, forwarded a recording of the group performing, but, “I didn’t think we had a chance.”

But last month, he got the welcomed news.

While on their 11-day trip to Italy in June, the choir will perform at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

The performance will be at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 3.

Kern and the school’s choir were thrilled with the opportunity.

“Even our tour guide was excited,” Kern said. “She freaked out.”

The choir also will perform in Rome, Venice, Pompei and Florence.

But clearly the chance to perform at St. Peter’s will be the highlight.

“This will be something the kids will remember the rest of their lives,” said Kern, himself a former A Cappella Choir member. “How many people can say ‘I performed at the Vatican?’”

It will be a signature event for their director as well.

“I’ll be able to say I’ve conducted at the Vatican,” Kern said.

The St. Peter’s Basilica performance list includes “Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal,” by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker; “Esto les Digo,” Kinley Lange; “Every Time I Feel the Spirit,” Stacey Adams; “Ascendit Deus,” Jacobus Gallus; and “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord,” Moses Hogan.

The group of students, teachers and chaperones will leave from Atlanta on June 1 for the non-stop flight to Rome. They will return on June 11.

In the other performances in Italy, the Colquitt County students will give their audiences a taste of some American music, including “Amazing Grace” and, of course, “Georgia,” among others.

“The people over there want to hear what we do over here,” Kern said.

The cost for each member of the group is $3,500 and choir members have been raising money to defray the costs. Kern said anyone willing to help should contact him.

The Colquitt County choir performed in the recent musical “Tarzan” and is now preparing for festival and church performances and the May 4 Spring Concert.

On May 6, the students will begin in earnest preparing for the Italy trip.

Those on the list to make the trip are Kern, his wife Robin, Ra’Mya Aikens, Abby Allegood, Destiny Avery, Libby Barber, Hope Barber, Haley Boyd, Jocelyn Soto, Noah Bullard, Laura Copeland, Jamie Etheridge, Crystal Garcia, Kaylee Gutierrez, Mahala Gonzalez, Julia Thornton, Sara Thornton, Lana Davis, Lisha Davis, Grady Davis III, Carson Hoes, Lisa Hoes, Dana Olvera, Noah Whitaker, Jana Hall, Brianna Ramsey, Nayeli Rico, Kari Hardigree, Jalea Harrell, Katie Hatcher, Rebecca Hembree, Regina Hembree, Natalia Hernandez, Haley Newsome, Melissa Ardales, Andy Chapura, Emily Chapura, Gavin Baker, Haley Bonin, Lydia Castle, Margie Castle, Diego Charles, Cameron Crosby, Melissa Lane, Cheyenne Dahlgren, Ashleyn Faucett, Jacob Lawhorne, Kelsey Mock, Cynthia Quiroz, Emily Wall,

Paula Ward, Macy Ward, Alyssa Morgan, Michelle Ostrove, Destiny Avery, Alisa Kenney, Morgan Kenney, Darius Washington, Sylvia Washington, Hallie Powell, Muriel Ren, Isabella Najar, Taylor Weeks, Melissa Ardales, Andy Chapura, Emily Chapura, Gavin Baker, Melissa Ardales, Jimbo Jarvis, John Reid Jarvis, Beth Miller, Abigail Baker, Brandon Cawley, Malachi Collins, Jahmal Keller, Kahmin Keller, Lois Friedman, John Friedman, Johnathan Gutierrez, Gerardo Guzman, Riley Viohl, Noah McLaughlin, Sarah Wiggins, Garry Wiggins, Amy Perryman, Elle Perryman, Emily Rigsby, Miley Rigsby, McCoy Hancock, Jessica Hancock, Wallace Hancock Jr., Pedro Luna and Donovan Horne.

Kern said this year’s choir has been an especially strong group.

And the seniors have had an especially remarkable tenure.

As sophomores, they performed in Hawaii and as juniors sang at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

And, now, they will be going to the Vatican.