There is a first time for everything: first day of school, first time in an airplane, a first job. For many marching band seniors, their first competition, when they won Pinecrest High School’s 2013 Grand Champion, was a first they’ll never forget.
“What made it so memorable was that no one expected us to be so good our freshman year,” Senior Marcanthony Iacono said. “It came as a surprise to all of us, even the people that had been there for years before me, and I thought it was really cool what we were capable of.”
The Northwood Marching Chargers had their last competition of the season in Cary, performing their show A Heart Transforms October 29th, receiving third place in their group. For seniors, this was their last competition ever, which caused some mixed feelings.
“It’s kind of a bittersweet moment because, ‘Yay, it’s our last one, we don’t have to stay after school anymore,’ but sad because it’s my last competition ever in high school,” senior Rebekah Peace said.
Each senior has mentioned something they will miss about marching band. Senior Mary Wardrop said that she is going to be very sad to leave the spirit at the competitions.
“I’m going to miss seeing all these good bands and other bands saying, ‘Good luck’ or ‘Wow, that was really good,’” Wardrop said. “It’s just really cool that all these people you don’t know are just really nice.”
Senior Madi Roberts enjoys the comradery of Northwood’s marching band.
“I really like how it’s a big group of people with different personalities, but we can come together and all be in sync,” Roberts said.
Iacono believes that it was the big group of people that made him stick with marching band all four years.
“I built a small community around me…. It was really tightly knit and they [are] good people and I really enjoy being with them,” Iacono said.
Senior Savannah Little enjoys the atmosphere of a team that surrounds the marching band.
“My dad [assistant principal Philip Little] actually told me that I had to go to one of the school practices,” Little said. “I was [very] against it… I didn’t think it was going to be fun. And then I met Eli, who was my section leader, and he was really funny, [so] it was really the fun atmosphere that made me join it. It’s been great to make relationships as a freshman and have a class with someone for four years.”
– By Meredith Avison
