I was a timid individual when I came into high school. Starting a marching band at the peak of the pandemic was no easy feat. It was a time of isolation and I only went to school half-time. I found solace in the band. As I warmed up to this big group of strangers my freshman year, my small circle of friends grew. Playing with advanced musicians helped my skills grow. I looked up to the role models while they took me under their wings. Even though we were six feet apart, I felt a strong connection and closeness that I hadn’t felt before doing other activities. This …show more content…
I call my home away from home and my second family. Band helped me come out of my shell and gain confidence in my social life and my playing skills. Band was my chance to grow into the person I am today. I learned discipline in marching band by dedicating myself to the music and marching, holding myself to high standards by leading. I can proudly say that now I am extroverted, hard-working, and caring. I put everything into band and I got back so much more than I could ever imagine. In my senior year, I was selected as a woodwind captain. This was an honor and a huge responsibility. I was in charge of the biggest section of the band. I faced many challenges but always persevered and helped my woodwinds. I motivated them by encouraging them, even if things were hard. In addition to being woodwind captain, I was also flute captain. My flute section had the most 8th graders, meaning 4 rookies who had never marched. They needed additional support, and I knew just what to do. I started hosting marching sectionals for my 8th graders and also enlisted the 4 sophomores to help me. I helped them in a smaller group to improve their marching while playing before evening band practice. Other sections began hosting