JSU Contest of Champions Results

I trust you heard the very satisfying news of our band’s success at the JSU Contest of Champions!  Details were shared on our Facebook page and in email to all of our school employees, Superintendent Massey and our School Board member, Angie Bates.  I would reiterate that the trophies (All Superior ratings, 1st place Drum Major, Zachary Bone; 1st place Percussion, 2nd place Color Guard; 1st place and Best in Class Band) do make for a nice confirmation to all the hard work our students have put in, but how they felt about their performance and that feeling afterward is what simply can’t be matched.  Personally, I don’t care for trophies – they take up space and gather dust, representing a number a group of people applied to us after observing one run-through.  Don’t get me wrong – it is important to learn how to “perform a job” with specific skill sets “on the spot” and while trophies represent our success doing so, they don’t account for the journey all of our students have made.  The memories & experiences, the hard-earned lessons that last through adulthood, and the feeling of achievement and satisfaction weigh so much more than any trophy can.

Now the clock is ticking toward our final performance of “Tick Tock” at the inaugural State Championship…  If you’ve ever worked with any age of humans, it is quite challenging to maintain excitement and keep pushing for that next level – because while the production is fresh to our audiences, it can be challenging to keep fresh for our student performers.  The students definitely seem hungry to do so and I know our staff are committed to serving our students through the finish.  We will have a few more revisions to the show making it even better, so even if you’ve seen it, you won’t want to miss these last two opportunities!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to thank all of the wonderful parents who have sacrificed their time and energy to serve our students (and me) at football games, competitions, and events throughout this season.  Chaperones, equipment crew, and coordinators literally make what we do possible.  A special thank you to those parents who have stepped up over and over again and those who have stepped up when there was a shortage.  If you’ve not volunteered before, I encourage you to sign up.  If sign-ups are full, just come and spend time with us anyway.  These parents who have signed up don’t necessarily have easier jobs or easier schedules.  And I think they’d tell you the sacrifice they’re making to be with us and see their student, behind the scenes, is worth it, fun, and very gratifying!  After all, these are our students – our children, who (even if they don’t express it) yearn for their parents to be there for them.  I hope to meet many of the parents I’ve not met before!