WRITTEN BY LORALIE
Band honors night is a yearly event for middle schoolers in band, and it helps kids who plan to
participate in the band in high school. Generally, the event helps students to gain a basic
understanding of how to march and how to go on and off the field. Friday night, September 22,
the middle school band joined the marching band, each marching band member assigned a
“buddy” which meant the high school band members were mentors for the middle schoolers.
While the middle school students were at the game, they learned what stands music the band
plays and how to march on and off the field. In all the band hosted 110 middle schoolers at the game. I interviewed Olivia Tighe, one of the drum majors, to see what she thought of band night. Olivia
is a senior in the WAHS Marching band, she is involved with band, choir, show choir, and
chamber choir. She said that there were more than 180 kids in the stands that night, and she was
very excited to meet and help the kids. She wanted to teach the kids skills to better their
experience in band and wanted to teach them “how to conduct in case they really found an
interest in being a drum major” like herself. While talking, I asked if there was anything to take
away from this, or if it helped with leadership; her response was heartwarming. “There were more than 180 students in the band stands, and they were all watching and looking up to you.
Which is kind of incredible, but it helped me learn that with a little patience and determination,
anything is possible. Those two qualities were key on Friday night, and I believe it was an amazing turnout.”
