I’m at home on the high school parking lot. It’s the only space the administration grudgingly affords our marching band, and yet it’s ours. The band family lives and thrives off people supporting each other, we are there for each other when no one else is. I was elected by this family to be their band president last spring, and I have been completely changed. Despite the flashy title, I am still just one member of this 140 strong group, and I am still pushing to fulfill the responsibility placed on my shoulders.
Alongside football games, the Mighty Trojan Marching Band attends many competitions throughout the marching season. Bands true mettle are shown on the field. Competitions are a highlight for many members of the band, since they are filled with rival bands, food and music. While marching band members see band having an ultimatum, get a trophy, or don’t try, Band director Mr. Farrell stresses the importance of professionalism, effort and fun. Third year marcher, trumpet player and junior Blakely Parker added, “What beats talent?
It all started at McKinley High School. Kendall Aaron, Carlton Phillips, and Corey Thomas they all was in the band for all 4 years. They enjoyed band and it was their main focus after their grades. McKinley High band was so important to them, they took it serious as it was reflecting their grades. They were so excellent in the band that they were offered 3 scholarships from 3 different schools.
For many years I have been known for being a very talented athlete. But what many people do not know is that I was once in the Elba Marching band. Being in the band has taught me a lot of things, like reading music, discipline and organization. The most interesting thing about the band was that we had to learn how to read music. At first this was a challenge for me, but I soon got the hang of it.
On Wednesday, the 18th of May, I attended and participated in the Final Band Concert of the year. Throughout the year, all band students continually practice pieces and the Final Band Concert is the only concert to have every band student in it from fifth grade all the way up to twelfth. This concert is always very special because it is both the first large concert for the fifth graders and the last for many students. The concert started from the Fifth Grade Band, then to the Junior 6th Grade, Advanced 7th and 8th Grade band, and finally to the High School Concert Band. The concert began exactly on time at 19:00.
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.
National Honor Society is known for their members with great grades and outstanding character. I personally believe that I would fit into this club wonderfully. Finishing with a cumulative GPA of 3.6 and a 4.0 GPA last semester. With grades being the most important thing to me, I take them very seriously.
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
I play six instruments including Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet, Mellophone, and Piano, and I sing in my Church Choir as well. I have the honor of being principal chair on Alto Saxophone in Symphonic Band, as well as a featured soloist in the 12 O’Clock Big Band. I have applied for student leadership in Marching Band next year as well. Athletics at Central Dauphin have taught me important skills of teamwork, sportsmanship, and camaraderie. My musical involvement has also shown me that hard work and practice can make anything
I am extremely honored to be eligible for this opportunity to apply for the National Honor Society. Becoming a member of the National Honor Society has been a goal I set for myself since I was a student in middle school. I have been greatly looking forward to this moment for a very long time. Overall, I have worked incredibly hard these last two years to display a positive character and obtain qualities such as leadership, responsibility, and scholarship. I strongly believe I will be a productive and reliable member of the National Honor Society at Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School.
After I graduate high school, I stand determined to pursue my dream: to become a civil engineer and create hurricane-resistant infrastructure along the Gulf Coast. I plan to employ the four pillars of National Honor Society to better achieve my goals. In order to take the first step towards achieving my goals, I must first pursue scholarship, a commitment to learning. Knowledge illuminates the path to success. Without a commitment to my education, I will not graduate with the proficiency and competency necessary to enter the workforce.
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.
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.”
Everything I do revolves around my music. I have been around music all my life, whether it was listening to it or playing it. I’m very passionate about music and I love playing an instrument. The instrument
I worked hard, taught a peer how to play the saxophone, and participated in as many musical activities and ensembles as I was able. Other inspirations include the organist
