I stood seven steps from the start line, hands sweaty and lips trembling. It seemed as if at any moment I would break the position of attention: feet at a forty-five degree angle, knees slightly bent, chin just above the horizon, and shoulders up, back, and down. Though I always dreamed of representing the Benicia High School Panther Band as their drum major, the lone figure in front of the block of blue and gold wearing a white British uniform and a brown bearskin hat, it never occurred to me that I was finally there. There was no way I could not be nervous; it was the last marching practice before my first competition in my career. Nevertheless, there was no escape.
Meet my Jazz band. This is a picture of us in New Orleans my junior year during spring break to play Jazz. I decided upon this picture because this band has had such a profound impact on how I frame my future. My connection with music through the piano has been fostered ever since I could reach those shiny black and white collection of keys. Starting at the age of four, playing the classical music of Mozart and Bach was what my musical background was founded upon, with tangible medals and accomplishments as achievements.
For many years I have been known for being a very talented athlete. But what many people do not know is that I was once in the Elba Marching band. Being in the band has taught me a lot of things, like reading music, discipline and organization. The most interesting thing about the band was that we had to learn how to read music. At first this was a challenge for me, but I soon got the hang of it.
The transition from childhood to adulthood occurs when an individual is able to recognize the impact he or she can leave upon their community, gaining life skills doing so. An accomplishment that marked my transition from childhood to adulthood, would be best demonstrated by the process and completion of a leadership responsibility when I performed my Eagle Scout Project. I joined the scouting program when I was very young, and have been very active since ever. Becoming an Eagle Scout has many challenges that a young Boy Scout must undertake, including the completion of a community-based project, which is an important step in obtaining this notable rank. The Eagle Scout Project is designed for the scout to learn different leadership responsibilities.
When I ended my sophomore year, I felt as if I was on top of the world. My grades were top tier, I had a successful soccer season, and I had just been assigned the drum major position in my school’s marching band. However about halfway through the following summer, I was diagnosed with depression. Instead of trying to fight through my condition, I allowed myself to slink deeper and deeper into an abyss. I knew that in my tenure as drum major, I would need to have a stable mind in order to be effective and have a possible impact on the band
Out of all the things I would do in high school, nothing would impact me more than joining the North Rangers Marching Band. It would give me more skills than any other aspect of my life that would prepare me for a future and allow me to evolve from a shy child to an adult with skills that prepared me for my future. I went into high school as a shy kid, with no true direction, at least until I discovered my schools marching band. Although coming in two years behind most of me peers, I knew that this was where I was meant to be, and with that, my mind was set and I was determined. Throughout the next two years, I would face countless difficulties with this that felt at times like tests of my willpower and what this band meant to me, but luckily I would push through, and in the end, would be left with a stronger person.
On a hot game day in Athens Georgia where is the most likely place you can find Carine? Marching with the Redcoat band of course! Throughout High School my dream was to one-day march with the famous Redcoat Band. All I wanted was to wear the striking black hat with the arches and proudly display the Georgia G on my back.
Imagine meeting a person that brought back memories of the worst time in life. Today I met a man named Derek. Derek had a very horrible attitude, so much so it reminded me of a leader that I used to work for a long time ago. In 2005 I was assigned to the United States Army Technical Escort Unit.
My high school drill team director—Gina Rhoden—has impacted my life in a positive way. Through her advice and the example of her character she has inspired me to work hard to achieve my goals, to never be lazy, and to be more confident. Mrs. Gina puts in so much effort towards our drill team and all of her hard work and dedication is inspiring. Sometimes goals can seem unreachable, but Mrs. Gina has reassured me that the sky’s the limit. One of my goals in drill team is to be flexible and strong enough to kick my face.
Presently, High School has been changing point before going to college and beginning my dream. Before my breaking point I need one more step. I required the doubt to decide if I would be joining an extra curriculum activity, demanding decision for a freshman to make before even meeting my teachers. A month before I started school, my brother convinced me to join the Hawthorne High School Band and Color Guard. I meet the band director Mr. Hughes, who has always believed I had a talent and did his best to polish my color guard skills year by year to be the outstanding person he sees.
I start off everyday by getting ready and heading to school. When I get there, I walk into the choir hall and prepare for an hour and a half long rehearsal that I know will leave me tired. We always start with ten or twenty minutes full of physical exercise. When that is done, we move into breathing exercises that always somehow seem more physically demanding. Finally, we get to singing; which is my favorite part of the whole day.
For around 5 years, I held a leadership position at Guitar Center, the leading musical instrument retailer in the world. Instead of providing us with leadership training and development programs, the majority of my business and management knowledge came from experience and real-time application. Luckily, I had a tight-knit support group of seasoned managers to assist when I found myself in difficult and trying situations.
Did you have a dream when you were young? Something that you loved so much that you swore you would never give it up? I certainly did—music. I have written and performed music for the biggest part of my life; it was always something that I could depend on to make me happy and take the stress away. As I got older, I had multiple offers from managers.
The first concert I choose to attend was the UMKC ensemble series. It featured the wind ensemble and the wind symphony. The first song that Joseph Parisi, conductor, started with was “The Duke of Marlborough Fanfare” by Percy Grainger starts of very slow and deep with the melody being played by the woodwinds. The melody also sounds very prideful as if it is part of a end of a war and they feel proud at what they accomplished.
I chose literacy so I can demonstrate my understanding of their experiences that are vocalised or written, that I can talk about their rights like they have to be provided safety equipments and provide facilities they need for the school like books,
