Rural Band Parents are Cool People

[DannyD]

Don,

Very cool! We did the band parent thing for 4 years of high school with our oldest daughter. Even ole dad got to be on TV once doing this! Then he pulled a stumble bringing out the band setup before the show. I loved doing it, but it was alot of work. As you say everyone has concession duty also, and having a bunch of experience with it from local area athletic club with kids a few years back, was like home again. It was fun, and congrats on her being the director, here that was quite the honor.

 

[OkeeDon]

Dargo and DannyD, I could have predicted that Indiana folks would be the first to respond. Florida schools are known for fantastic band programs, but as a general rule, Indiana has all the others beat. While there are exceptional schools anywhere in the country, overall, when all the schools are considered, Indiana has them beat.

Dargo, way back when I was in high school, I knew that the crowd was really there to see us perform in the band, and the football game was just a bonus. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I grew up in Western Pennsylvania, where band programs were almost as serious as Indiana.

 

[DannyD]

Don,

My kids went to Floyd Central, we were both loved and hated. We had some stiff competition from the other schools, and yes Indiana schools are great, especially the bands. I have to say that the travel and work was fun, but I dont miss it.

I remember the last year, they did the rock musical "Tommy", pinball wizard........my kid thought is was funny I was a young high school kid when the "original" was done. Heck, I even remembered the words to it.

 

[terbear1963]

Ahhh, The days.... I didn't play an instrument but was in the Color Guard. Did the Flag and rifle routines. Believe me, there was work for all and learning our routines was just as hard as learning the music. Band Camp was a blast. My experiences were in Chattanooga, Tennessee and our band was just as comptetive with the other area High Schools as in athletics. My parents had 6 consecutive years total in Band Parenting. The first three with me and the next three with my brother who was on the Drum Line. Boy was our house noisy!!!!! It was an experience that I will NEVER regret and sometimes still miss those good ole days!!! Our band director was the coolest!!!

Don, your daughter needs to be commended for the work she is doing and for shaping the lives of HER KIDS--Because they are ALL her kids--parents included!!!! They will never forget her. Band parents are the BEST!!! They do whatever they have to do to get the job done big or small.

Best wishes for their upcoming season performances and competitions!!

Terri

 

[OkeeDon]

Terri, too bad you don't live down here; Amy could really use a good Guard sponsor and coach. But, I spent our '97 Olympic vacation on the shores of Lake Lanier in a motor home, and discovered that you live in a beautiful area.

 

[Foxpoint]

Don,

All the kudo's in the world to your daughter - High School Band director is the most underappreciated teaching jobs one can take. My sister, my parents, and I all did the band thing all through high school. My sister met her husband in the band at University of Delaware. My two best friends were in the band with me at Penn State. My favorite band memory was high - fiving Ki-Jana Carter after he scored on the first play of th 1995 Rose Bowl with an 80 yard run. ( I got on TV!!)

My father was the president of the parents association for one of the years when the school district was proposing cuts. For the budget meeting, he and the director put together a presentation with the demographics of the students in the band and compared it to the general student population. It was mind blowing how much higher the ave. band member's GPA, SAT scores, other activities, etc were than the general student population. High school band is the best activity in high school one can take part in for developing key life skills such as teamwork, accountability, social skills, etc.