My daughter’s first year of middle school set her on an unplanned, yet incredibly beneficial course when she signed up for band. Bethany loved the program from day one, and has loved (almost!) every day of it as she nears the close of her junior year at Northgate High School.

It would, of course, be difficult to predict how Bethany’s personality, character, academic growth and time management skills would be different had she not been involved in the band program, but I can tell you how being in band has positively impacted those same areas.

Bethany has been placed in many different types of social settings because of band. She has had to learn to be a team player, as well as deal individually with people, and as we know too well, dealing in a mature way with others can be a very daunting daily task. She has practiced showing hospitality and she has also been taught to be gracious and appreciative. The different sizes and natures of the various ensembles that she has experienced have taught her to be flexible when possible, yet remain focused on particular group goals.

Because of the competitiveness of Marching Band, concert festivals, and auditions, her character has been stretched and challenged. She has been required to perform even when placed under stressful situations and has been forced to practice thinking on her feet, even when she is exhausted.

Even though marching band requires a great deal of time commitment in the fall, Bethany has historically had better grades during the first semester because she manages her available study time better. She wastes less time and is more productive under the time restrictions that she has.

Her high school band experience has offered her a big repertoire of character training. But in addition to these life skills, Bethany has had tons of fun. Without hesitation she would go through band camps again, repeat the drill over and over, and play the piece just once more to get closer to that goal of musical perfection. After graduation, Bethany will take with her cherished memories of time with friends and staff members that loved her enough to push her and encourage her to work just a little harder.

Bethany’s class schedule has been worked out all throughout high school so that she could have band every day of every semester, and that has been her preference and her choice. Indeed, knowing what she knows now about the commitment to band, she would do it all over again without any reservations, and I would wholeheartedly encourage her and insist that she take the same path!