For sophomore Samuel Hendricks of Natchez, the excitement is rising, he said earlier in the week when he came home from the Lorman campus to begin packing his bags.

&uot;I think it’s an exciting opportunity. It will be a wonderful experience,&uot; said Hendricks, a Natchez High School graduate.

What does he look forward to the most? &uot;The best part will be the opportunity to sit on the stage with the president,&uot; he said.

His parents, Sam and Lourene Hendricks also are excited. &uot;It’s making history,&uot; Mrs. Hendricks said. &uot;It’s an experience of a lifetime to participate in such an event. And coming from such a small school and small community, it is a great honor for the school, the instructors and the community.&uot;

The choir is singing at the request of Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, co-chairman of the Joint Legislative Inaugural Committee. The Alcorn group is the only non-military choir performing, said David Blackburn, director. &uot;I think the people of Mississippi will be proud,&uot; he said. &uot;We are ready.&uot;

Gordon Brown of Bus Supply Charter Company in Natchez is providing the best bus and a most experienced driver, he said Friday. Attending to all the details for homeland security authorities has been a challenge.

&uot;The bus is going to park inside the grounds of the White House,&uot; Brown said. &uot;I’ve been putting it all together, sending the serial number of the bus, the motor number, the description; I had to send everything to them about the driver, David Williams.&uot;

Brown said being a part of the occasion is a privilege for him. &uot;They are going to represent our country well. I’ve enjoyed doing this. It’s a privilege to be a part of it. Dr. Blackburn has done a wonderful job.&uot;

The 48-member choir will perform at about 10 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, 9 a.m. Central, singing three pieces, &uot;Sea to Shining Sea,&uot; &uot;Hymns From Our Time&uot; and &uot;When the Saints Come Marching In.&uot; The president will be sworn into office at noon.

A spokeswoman for the C-Span network, Channel 9 on Cable One, said coverage of the inaugural events will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern but that she couldn’t predict whether the choir performance would be televised.

&uot;The Washington Journal program begins at 7 a.m., but the cameras will jump around and do lives shots around Washington until 10,&uot; she said. &uot;At 10 there will be more live shots either at the White House or the inaugural area. The choir may or may not be caught in all of this.&uot;

The choir will sing their first two songs and then rest during some announcements before performing the third and final song.

Blackburn said the choir is ready. &uot;One more day, and they might be over prepared,&uot; he said. &uot;They’re excited and they’re honored. This exposure is wonderful for them.&uot;

Hendricks described the song selection as patriotic and uplifting and agreed the choir is prepared. Two things he knows about the choir, he said. &uot;We like to sing and we like to eat.&uot;

The trip to Washington will include three stops for concerts on the way there and three on the way home. On Wednesday in downtown Washington, the choir will sing for the Washington Chapter of the Alcorn Alumni Association at Shiloh Baptist Church.

Roderick Whitley, son of Robert and Connie Whitley of Natchez, is another sophomore choir member and a graduate of Natchez High. He said rehearsals have gone well. &uot;Preparations have gone great. The blend is great,&uot; he said. &uot;And as long as we have Dr. Blackburn, we will be fine. We’re very obedient.&uot;

Whitley is packing for cold weather. &uot;I’m taking a scarf I almost never get to wear. I’ve got my gloves and my heavy jacket,&uot; he said.

Looking back many years from now, Whitley said, he will enjoy saying, &uot;I stood behind the president when he was being sworn in.&uot;