Personal Narrative: Joining The Marching Band In High School

Throughout my years in high school, I have been very involved in the band program here at Langham Creek. As a freshman, I started out in Concert 2 band. Concert 2 is one of the lowest bands in the program. When I first entered the program, I had wanted to quit. However, after a while, I grew to really enjoy band. I started practicing more and put in more effort with what I did. I was first chair in concert 2, which is the principal player. At the end of the year for auditions, I decided to try out for Symphonic band, the top band in our school. Because I was in one of the last bands, a lot of people told me this would be very difficult to do. When the results came in I found out I had made symphonic. I was very proud of myself with how much I had improved within just a year. I even got the Academic Excellence for Concert 2 band award at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. Along with this, I have received many band awards including Marcher of the week,

I have invested so much time and hard work into my high school marching band, and it has helped me come a long way in terms of balancing a busy schedule with a large workload. I have learned how to become a successful peer mentor through band leadership, and have grown more confident in my abilities as a student and

To the average person, the high school marching band is nothing more than a bunch of geeks that play during half time at the football games or monopolize the benches by the band hall, but to me, it is so much more. To me it is a family, a safe haven, a creative outlet, a home. I have been involved in marching band for three years, going on four, and I wouldn 't trade the experience for anything. When I entered high school as a scared and awkward freshman, I immediately had three hundred people that I could rely on. The program quickly became like a second home to me and opened up a whole new path in my life. Playing percussion took on a whole new definition in my eyes and I gained not only a greater respect for music, but for the people that created it and managed it and loved it like no other. Through my high

Throughout my high school career, there is only one major thing that has affected my entire life, including my educational performance and that is marching band. The marching band at my high school is one of the most well respected programs in my district. In eighth grade, I decided to audition for color guard. And when I made the team, I became apart of the marching band. That year, my entire life changed. In order to participate in the marching band, your grades have to be good and you can’t get in trouble. When I joined marching band, I strived to be better than what I was. I picked my grades up and I didn’t get into trouble. That was five years ago now, I am color guard captain now and I couldn’t imagine my life without color guard. Being

Joining band had an immense and almost immediate impact on my life. Before being in band I had never had a talent that I felt completely confident in. I enjoyed practicing and spent many hours trying to improve my musical ability. In

Marching band; copious amounts of people scoff at the sound of those words. I often hear students commenting on how easy marching band is, how we don’t train like the football players do. At Anderson High School, that’s not the case, the marching band trains for just as long. As a band of over 125 individuals, it takes determination, pride, and confidence to achieve the goals we have set forth to accomplish. As a leader of the saxophone section, I know what it’s like to face failure, to overcome and turn it into success and to march on with confidence. I know exactly how to motivate my underclassmen when they tell me “I can’t do this anymore.” Over the last four years, I have succeeded in leading my group of 13 saxophone players to two State

My life has been full of many opportunities to participate in things that I love and these opportunities have taught me fabulous lessons. Through my persistent hard work in the Clark high school marching band I have been very fortunate to learn important lessons about positivity, service and respect.

High school band is often looked upon as an activity where a bunch of nerds get in big, bulky, sweaty uniforms and walk around the football field during halftime all the while playing music that they have memorized. Although this is 99.9% true, marching band is much more than that and if you think about what was just stated, that takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication. Marching band provides students with life lessons and skills that can never be forgotten. There are some major “plus factors” of being a part of a high school band such as: students get to be around other students that they normally would not associate with,

I stood seven steps from the start line, hands sweaty and lips trembling. It seemed as if at any moment I would break the position of attention: feet at a forty-five degree angle, knees slightly bent, chin just above the horizon, and shoulders up, back, and down. Though I always dreamed of representing the Benicia High School Panther Band as their drum major, the lone figure in front of the block of blue and gold wearing a white British uniform and a brown bearskin hat, it never occurred to me that I was finally there. There was no way I could not be nervous; it was the last marching practice before my first competition in my career. Nevertheless, there was no escape.

I was born and raised in Gulfport, Mississippi, an area immersed in a relaxed coastal culture and a vibrant jazz and blues heritage. Gulfport is located right off the Gulf of Mexico and less than an hour from New Orleans, Louisiana. Living near the Gulf, heavily influenced my childhood, I would spend weekends at the beach, and long hours traveling to distant islands far from the coast I called home. The music you would hear at the beach were always from timeless Americana artist; such as, Bob Dylan and Jonny Cash. My parents, not musicians themselves, were infatuated with the music of the late 1980’s from artists like Prince, Michael Jackson, and Journey. My particular favorite artist from that time period was Queen, and my love for rhapsody

Because of his outstanding ability to motivate us, the quality of our music and marching drills rapidly improved. As a result, we were awarded superior ratings and best in class awards during our Fall competition season. My service as band president has taught me the value of a good work ethic, the strength to go the extra mile, commitment, and selflessness. I will carry these lessons with me to college next year and eventually to my chosen career as a Graphic Designer. In an interview with a local news station about our band’s fundraising drive to purchase new uniforms, I said, “It’s a new era for the Ardmore Tiger Marching Band.” I’m so thankful to have had a hand in such a significant

I am pursing a degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. I am passionate about education and excited to share the joy of learning with students. The perspective of wonder and sense of excitement that children bring into education motivates me daily. Teaching can leave a lasting impression in a child’s life and offers a special opportunity to shape the bright young minds of future generations. While many professions can be impactful, I believe the qualities of the person in the career position to be the most influential. The integrity I possess and genuine character I have reveals my authentic positive outlook on life. I aspire to be the voice that encourages students to obtain a life changing education that will aid them in their journey. I desire to be a teacher that takes time out of my day to have meaningful minutes in a student’s life and to represent the picture of a positive role- model. I hope to leave a lasting impact by creating a caring atmosphere that allows students to express themselves, discover knowledge, and obtain their fullest potential confidently!

Throughout my life, I have participated in a lot of activities and have had several

Mostly every one has and activity that they enjoy that is also educational. It could be anything from a club after school, a gym class, just a certain class, or a specific activity that you like to do in your class. So an educational activity that I enjoy Is participating in the Elizabeth Davis Middle School Band Program. My school 's band program is so much fun. The band program is so much fun because I love to play my instrument, we get to travel, and I am In the Tri-M Honors Society.

Homecoming has always been a very exciting day for me – especially since I joined the marching band. Our marching band has a long-standing tradition of performing at all of the elementary schools before marching in the parade. It is always a great experience interacting with the young children. We also get to miss an entire day of classes, which is never a bad thing. We all arrived in the band room around eight. After receiving instructions, we gathered our instruments and loaded the bus to head to Smithville Elementary School, the school that houses the lowest grades. My friend and I grabbed a seat on the back of the bus and went on with our conversation as usual. Everything seemed completely normal at this point.