Seniors graduate every year, leaving bittersweet memories, legacies, and a bright future. But what about those in band? This year, seniors Zora Thomas, Asa St. Peter, Rebecca Gonzales-Franco, and Yasmine Lopez leave the Delta High School Concert and Marching Band.
When the seniors leave the band, they leave a legacy and expectations set upon the next seniors. In band, one senior is expected to be the Drum Major, who leads and gives directions for the marching band. They are also responsible for their section leaders, who direct a smaller group of instruments.
This year, the marching band won second place during the state competition. The seniors put in massive amounts of effort to help the band, themselves, and others. So what does that mean for the juniors? The seniors for the next marching band season are now held to high standards. Though every year they are expected to do more leadership roles, this year it means they have to go above and beyond what is expected of them.
Every year, seniors are lost, and incoming freshmen have to fill those spots. An estimated 16 freshmen are predicted to join the marching band, which means that the band will gain 12 new members after losing four.
On Thursday of last week, Abigail Bloom was announced to be the Drum Major. Her initial reaction was “I was scared at first. I mean, I didn’t really want to do it at first, but now I’m excited. I can’t wait for next year.”
Looking towards a future with a new Drum Major, Stuart Johnson, Delta High School’s band director said, “I’m really excited to see what Abby can do for the band. She is an amazing section leader, and I’m sure that she will be great leading the band.”
He claims that the decision to make a section leader was “tough” but he knew that “Abby was the right choice.”
