Dr. Sarah Herrington is Director of Choral Studies and Assistant Professor of Music Education at Wayland Baptist University. She is a multi-faceted musician, currently serving in the worlds of choral conducting, vocal training, choral clinician and judge, and accompanist/vocal coach. She has directed choirs and taught students previously in public and private school districts, Texas Tech University, and Lubbock Christian University. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from Wayland Baptist University, Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Texas Tech University and Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from Texas Tech University. Sarah is passionate about music education and vocal instruction in an ensemble setting. Her excitement for guiding singers to learn about their own instruments is equally as strong as her excitement for the music itself. Her research interests include guiding healthy vocal technique and developing music literacy in ensembles. Sarah has been fortunate to serve through the years as a choral clinician, conductor of school, collegiate, church and regional choral ensembles, vocal coach and soloist, private voice and piano instructor, and accompanist in school, collegiate and church settings. Two of Sarah’s greatest blessings in life are her boys, Jackson and Mac. She is particularly blessed to share her passion for choral music – and the journeys of life – with her incredibly gifted husband and conductor, Dr. Scott Herrington.
President, Allison Johnston has been involved in education since 1982. She received her Bachelor's in Music Education in 1982 from West Texas State University. She received her Master's in School Counseling in 2016 from WTAMU. She has taught band and choir in both public and private schools. She began her career in music education teaching band at Lubbock Estacado High School. She also taught band and choir in the public school system in Tyler. She started the choral program at All Saints Episcopal School in Tyler. While there she served as the state vocal chair for TAPPS. She sang with the Tyler Civic Chorale under the direction of Richard Herr and served on the board of directors. She taught choir at Muleshoe HS for two years and began a community youth choir in Friona since there was no program in the school. She started the program in Friona in the fall of 2003 and was the choral director and assistant band director for 13 years. She has served as high school counselor in Friona for the past six years. Mrs. Johnston is a member of the Polk Street Methodist Church Choir. She has been married to the love of her life, Bryan, since 1983. They have five amazing and very musical children, son-in-law, daughter-in- law, and two gorgeous grandchildren. Mrs. Johnston is so excited and honored to be a part of this new endeavor.
Vice President, Andrea Cruz is in her eighteenth year of teaching and seventeenth year as head choral director at Caprock High School. She holds an Associate in Music from Amarillo College and a Bachelor of Music Education from West Texas A&M University. Before coming to Caprock, Mrs. Cruz taught choir at Bowie Middle School. During Mrs. Cruz’s time at Caprock, the Varsity Mixed Choir earned their first sweepstakes in school history for the choral program in 2013, followed by the first sweepstakes for the Varsity Tenor-Bass and Treble choirs in 2014. Andrea Cruz is currently serving as the content chair for the TCDA High School Leadership Day Event. Mrs. Cruz has been married to her husband, Ricardo, for seventeen years. Mr. Cruz teaches music at Humphrey’s Highland Elementary, teaches private guitar lessons, and plays for the local community theater. They have two beautiful girls, Ava and Santana. Music is what brought them together, and they continue to spread the love of music through their students and children.
Treasurer, Rachel Batenhorst, joins us from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center where she is the Sr. Clinical Department Administrator of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She originally came to the Panhandle from Kentucky and Minnesota to attend school at WTAMU and has now lived in Canyon for 17 years with her husband, Jacob, and three busy kids. Rachel earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music at WT before working in arts administration, then made the big switch to medicine and completed a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Colorado State University. She is currently the Music Director for St. Mary’s Catholic Church, an historical painted church in Umbarger, TX. Rachel spent many years singing operatic roles at the University of Kentucky, KY Governor’s School for the Arts, WTAMU, Amarillo Opera, Taos Opera Institute, and TEXAS Outdoor Musical Drama. Her choral endeavors have taken her to Carnegie Hall and The Riverside Church in NYC and on many choir tours all over Texas, Kentucky, Boston, and Canada. Rachel is thrilled to serve on the HPCS board where she can fulfill her creative passions with other professionals.
Secretary, Holly Johnston is starting her 5th year in education. She is currently the choir director for Fannin Middle School in Amarillo, TX. She currently lives in Canyon, TX where she attends the Methodist church. Holly grew up in Friona, TX and received her college degree from West Texas A&M University. Holly has worn many hats as a residence life employee for WTAMU, church youth and children’s music director, and secondary choir director. Holly loves to spend time with her family (especially her 4 nieces), her fiancé Caleb, and her friends! She is so excited to serve on the board and be a part of the choral music in the Panhandle!
Board Member, Makayla Smith is entering her 6th year in the choral classroom after briefly stepping away to start a small business alongside her husband, Wyatt. Makayla graduated with her Bachelors in Music Education from West Texas A&M University in 2016 and has called the panhandle home ever since. When she's not teaching, Makayla enjoys operating Central Bark and spending time with her children, who also enjoy trying to operate Central Bark.
Larissa Cunningham has been a vocal and piano instructor for almost two decades and has been a choir director for over ten years. She grew up in the Texas Panhandle, graduated from Borger High School, attended Frank Phillips College, WTAMU, and Texas Tech University where she received her Bachelors, and in 2024 her Masters degree in Choral Conducting. Larissa was Director Prima of Bella Musica, a women’s professional ensemble from 2013-2017 and missed that sense of community after moving to Amarillo. HPCS was an answer to that longing. She has a passion for music education and was the Assistant Choral Director at Amarillo High School for five years, and is now the Head Director at Lorenzo De Zavala Middle School. Larissa is the wife of John Cunningham for 24 years, and has three sons: one at Texas Tech, and the other two at Amarillo High School. Larissa is proud to be a member of High Plains Choral Society and hopes to see it thrive for many years to come.