Justin Sands joined Cheri Brummer as co-Director of Choirs in the 2011-12 school year, and took over as Director of Show Choirs. His very first year marked the first time Prairie show choir was represented on a national level, with the Ambassadors qualifying for the Show Choir National Championship Series' FAME Chicago. There, they finished in third, winning the Best Technical Crew award and qualifying for the National Championships. The 2012-13 season was notable for several reasons: Firstly, Prairie hosted the inaugural Prairie Premiere show choir invitational. Secondly, it marked the first year they performed one of their now-iconic "Theatrical-styled" shows. But the most notable event of the season would happen on January 12, when the Ambassadors upset national powers Resonance from Lincoln Southwest and Visual Adrenaline from Ankeny High School to win the Midwest Cup at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This was the first Grand Championship under director Justin Sands, and would mark the ensemble's arrival as a national power.