More Student Input and Opportunity in the Greenbrier Marching Band

Standing under the football stadium lights and playing stand tunes, marching on the practice field every Tuesday and Thursday, practicing the show every Friday on the football field, and performing it at a competition the next night is the marching band experience. We breathe, play, sing, perform, struggle, and succeed together. Last year we did not place in our class in the Northeast High School competition and we felt that shame together. Every hardship faced from our humble beginnings at first-year marcher clinics to our last band camp is worth the best performances and musical growth. The breathtaking moment in 2015 when we placed in finals was worth every calf raise, lap, push up, crab step, fall, and all the frustration at our instructors. Victory comes gradually, first through the small breakthroughs, such as hitting that set you always miss or playing your first note louder than anything you have played before. When individual triumphs combine, success is created and the evidence is distinct and substantial. Currently, the band faces two main challenges: learning to respect and agree with a new band director and coping with the loss of the current seniors. Without coming to an agreement about the direction of the season, we could face dropouts, making the second challenge significantly more difficult to overcome as there will be fewer marchers to replace the old members. Disagreement can also potentially lead to another year of a dysfunctional band and overall agitation. Both band parents and students agree that they deserve to have input as to how often they can compete, what they play, and how their last band camp will be, especially the upcoming seniors and senior parents. This is why we students have started this petition, to voice our concerns and hopefully come to an agreement on these and any other pressing issues.