By Monica Brewer

With State Marching Band on Saturday Oct. 18 and band senior night being on Friday Oct. 24, these are the senior band members last marching band moments before the 2014 season ends.  State is the last marching band contest of the school year and for seniors, it’s their last contest in their high school career.

Starting out as freshmen for the 2011-2012 school year, marching band was intimidating to start, with about less than 20 members starting up for the class of 2015.  We would listen and watch our upperclassmen section leaders teach us how to march and move like we were supposed to.  I remember the times where early morning practices were at seven a.m., and members were expected to be there on time with their instruments and music out.

As the years went by, members were dropping band until it was left with nine seniors that represent the class of 2015 Trojan Guard seniors.  This year’s senior marching band members are as follows (according to instrument/standing):  Ben Parker (Drum Major), Alex Lensch (flute), Monica Brewer (Clarinet), Justin Somers (trumpet), Mark Stinn (mellophone), and Hannah McLean, Hannah Nelson, Jazzlynn Schulte, and Haley Schweigert (all flags).  These years seniors have worked hard to help underclassmen with staying in step and to become better players to represent as upperclassmen to help out next year’s freshmen.

To the underclassmen, the seniors this year were cool.  Freshman Melanie Hart said that the seniors she did know were funny.  Hart adds that she will miss how they “help us when we need help.”

The thing that junior Seth Schulte will miss most is “my senior friends like Monica, Justin, and Mark.”  Schulte thinks that although there weren’t many seniors this year, the senior class this year are a bunch of “great people.”

Band Teacher Jarrod O’Donnell said that this year’s seniors were not only a “strong group of kids,” but they were a “dedicated group” too.  O’Donnell also stated that he will miss the dedication they brought and the talent they all have.

The class of 2016 band members better watch out, because O’Donnell added that they have to “step up and to fill in the gaps left by seniors this year.”  As seniors next year, junior band members will need to step up as role models to underclassmen band members.  Give them the best advice you can regarding marching, and give them confidence.  They look up to you as upperclassmen.  Give them a reason to stay until their senior year.

For this year’s seniors, the band department will miss you all very much.  Just know that you matter to this department and your hard work doesn’t go unrecognized by O’Donnell.  Congratulations senior band members, you made it through high school marching band.