There were thirty minutes left until the final announcement of who would participate in the annual school professional competition at nine o'clock. But students from all grades surrounded the bulletin board.
The students looked at the bulletin board expectantly and whispered amongst each other. The shorter students had to stand on tiptoes just to see. Everyone present wanted to see who made it onto the list of participants.
Alan and Ell stood among them, anxiously waiting for the teachers to announce the finalists. While they waited, they listened to the surrounding students' heated discussions about the finalists.
"Hey, who do you think will represent White Deer High in this year's competition?"
"Mill and Bass are the ones to watch. Their performance in the preliminaries was simply outstanding!" The bespectacled student lowered his voice as he spoke, "Those two also come from influential families."