Marching Viking Band
“NOTHING LESS THAN THE BEST”
This quote says its all. As parents of a current Jr., we can attest to
what this quote has not only meant to our son, but how it has inspired him to
be nothing less than the best. As a
Freshman, he was not an athlete, a drama student, nor could he sing in the
choir. His leadership skills were not
yet “honed” so student government was a long shot. I must admit, I was truly concerned how my
son would make his mark in High School, and most importantly, how would High
School make its mark on him.
As parents, we took an active
interest in the Band Program as rising 8th grade parents. We immediately joined the Band Booster
Organization, familiarized ourselves with what we could do to help our son
succeed. It has been amazing to stand
back and witness the transformation. Our
son quickly learned how to work as a group (with approximately 90 kids). How to push himself when the task at hand
was, what he thought, too difficult (whether learning to play new music/instrument,
managing his schedule, being responsible for band equipment, or simply offering
encouragement, strength, and friendship to others). So many times the question of money was
raised. Was it worth it? Well, how can you put a price tag on
life-long skills that our son has instilled in himself. How much is it worth? It is priceless. Realistically, the fees out of my pocket over
the past three years have been minimal compared to the return of my
investment. My son learned how to raise
the money he needed to pay for the marching fees, band camp fees, etc. The Band Boosters offer several fundraising
events throughout the year which practically paid in full the fees needed for
my son to be a part of the program.
It is my belief that if your child
has a purpose to go to school everyday (other than it’s the law), and they have
a reason to succeed in areas of their High School experience, then this is the
ground work for their life long success.
It will amaze you to watch your child receive recognition for their hard
work, for their hours of practice; to see them put a Letter on their letter
jacket and wear it with pride; to come into High School already knowing 90+
kids that they met at Band Camp the Summer before; to feel like they belong to
something that is bigger than they are.
This gets them motivated, as well the parents!
If you are worried your child will
not be able to keep his/her grades up, or to get involved in other things,
think again. Our son worked harder in
High School, while in the Band Program, than in any prior years. He was more organized, motivated, optimist
and content when he was held accountable to the Band (“his peers”) He took advanced classes each year, he is on
the College Prep trek, and he obtained Eagle Scout rank his Jr. year. He also had time to volunteer with numerous
Youth Programs as well. He is on track
to graduate in 2009, and looks forward to attending College with a major in Engineering. We truly believe that our son’s success in
High School is the mark that the Band Program at
Chuck &
Debbie