PCHS’ Patrick wins national award

The adversity the Phil Campbell High School Band program has faced this past year hasn’t always been easy to overcome, but this past week, band director Bobby Patrick was recognized nationally for the effort he has put forth in seeing this band program rebuild and continue to move forward despite the many setbacks they’ve faced since April 27.
On Thursday, The U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) announced that Patrick is the recipient of the 2012 National Band Director of the Year Award.
The National Band Director of the Year Award honors the band director who has been an inspiration to students and music educators, and who by his or her actions, embodies the U.S. Army’s core values.
The award, now in its second year, was added to the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band program as part of its efforts to acknowledge the contribution of music education to the development of America’s youth.
Patrick was chosen to receive this national award based on the leadership and commitment he has shown during his 11 years as the band director at PCHS and because of the leadership he has shown in recent months in rebuilding the band program from the ground up.
“I’ve actually known about this for a month and when I first got the call, I thought it was a prank,” Patrick said with a laugh. “I had to double check the number to realize it was a real phone call from the national director for the National Association for Music Education.
“Once I realized it was the real thing, I was just blown away that I had been selected out of all the band director’s in the nation. I couldn’t believe it.”
Even though Patrick has known for a month, he has had to keep the news under wraps until the official announcement was made at the U.S. Army Welcome BBQ at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Thursday.
“This whole experience has just really been surreal,” he said. “They flew my daughter and myself out here to Texas and they’ve been treating us like VIPs ever since. To have this group of people recognize me and think that I’m doing a good job is pretty big.
“At the awards ceremony I was sitting between a two-star general and an eight-year NFL veteran and there were many other people there who are real-life heroes. To get a standing ovation from those people when I won my award was such an honor.”
PCHS principal Cindy Davis said it was an honor that was well-deserved.
“From the moment the tornado hit, Mr. Patrick regrouped and refocused his energy into rebuilding,” Davis said. “He didn’t wait around for FEMA to step in and help. He just started reaching out to the community and to other band directors and let them know the needs they had and how far they had to go to get there.
“He really galvanized the group and he never quit working.”
For the past eight months, Patrick has worked tirelessly to raise funds for the band program that lost 90 percent of their instruments and their entire music library when the E-F5 tornado’s 210 mph winds tore through the school and demolished the band room.
He started a Facebook page called “One Brick at a Time” to raise awareness and funds and he’s sought out other opportunities such as the Glee “Give a Note” campaign that garnered $50,000 for the high school and $25,000 for the elementary school music programs.
“The Army has a long, proud history of producing great leaders and outstanding musicians,” said John Myers, Director of Strategic Communications, Marketing and Outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command. “Mr. Patrick exemplifies both of these traditions, providing great leadership to young student-musicians. We congratulate him on being recognized as Band Director of the Year and thank him for all he does to make young Americans stronger, as musicians and as people.”