Boosting the band

By Staff
April 30, 2004
All of the hard work and effort put into an important element of the learning environment at Meridian High School has paid off the MHS Marching Band scored all superior ratings from all the judges in all categories, during the Smoky Mountain Music Festival earlier this month in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
As our news story reported the other day, in addition to the superior ratings, the band won second place in the large class division just two points behind the Galesburg High School Band from Galesburg, Ill. Drum majors Casey Garrett and Eric Osby accepted the trophy on behalf of the MHS Marching Band.
Under the direction of Terry Ivy, assisted by Sabina Ivy, Scott Kratzer and William Bames, the MHS Marching Band, known as "The Greatest Band in all the Land," competed in the large band class against more than 20 high school bands and choruses from Florida, Illinois and Minnesota.
The student musicians who perform in the MHS Marching Band represented their hometown in a fine manner. The fact that the band successfully competed on such a national scale is testament to the talent and commitment of its members and directors.
We applaud financial contributions from the Meridian City Council, Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors, area businesses and local individuals that helped defray costs of the competitions in which the band has done so well this year. MHS Principal R.D. Harris' renewed interest in this element of the overall learning experience also deserves praise.
Many high school students and their parents these days are pressed for time and there are certainly a variety of interests that can compete for their attention. There is nothing easy about extra-curricular activities, especially playing an instrument or otherwise participating in a marching band. Band members face long hours of practice in order to fine tune their talents and learn to perform as a single, cohesive unit.
In the case of the Meridian High School Marching Band, those long hours translated into very positive recognition for a job well done and a productive lesson that commitment pays.