WHEATLAND — It turns out that 35-year-old, hand-me-down band uniforms do wear out eventually. And for the Wheatland High School Music Department, that is their reality. That and the fact that some of the musicians just don’t fit. Even with the hem let out to a mere half inch, the pants look more like knickers on some of them.
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Band needs uniforms
February fundraising events forthcoming
Posted
By Ton Winter
By Ton Winter
Contributing writer
WHEATLAND — It turns out that 35-year-old, hand-me-down band uniforms do wear out eventually. And for the Wheatland High School Music Department, that is their reality. That and the fact that some of the musicians just don’t fit. Even with the hem let out to a mere half inch, the pants look more like knickers on some of them.
WHS band director Evan Bradley has had to use his creativity. He had some students wear pirate costumes this past fall at the Wyoming High School State Marching Band Festival, and the judges awarded them a first place. The judges thought the costumes were for ambiance for the pirate-themed performance – not that the students didn’t actually have band uniforms that fit.
When Bradley came to WHS in 2014 there were 18 students in the band. Now there are 38 with three times that number coming through the ranks of the middle school band program.
“Marching band has come back and the kids are excited,” Bradley said. “We have gone from a three rating to a one at Marching Festival. We have gone from two kids making it into All State to five. Kids are getting involved in music.”
Sophomore Liam Adams said, “I like to express my emotions through music and it’s a lot of fun to do. Music is a thing in my family. My dad is a trombone player and teacher, my mom plays flute and little bit of piano.”
Bradley explained how individuals with a music background tend do better in the job market. They have learned the importance of perfection, and employers have discovered you can’t teach someone how to be creative – it has to come from within and be nurtured. The study of music inherently provides this.
The band program has several fundraising opportunities coming up. A Pizza Hut fundraiser is Feb. 13, when a portion of sales goes to the program. Feb. 16 is a Big Bucks Bingo at the 4-H Building from 5-8 p.m. There will also be a spaghetti dinner at that time. A Band-a-thon is slated for Feb. 17 at the school. It is an all-day music extravaganza with students getting pledges to play music all day, and then play Pep Band at the WHS basketball games in the evening.
They need to raise $16,000, and the school district has said it will match that sum to get to the $32,000 needed for the new uniforms. A sample of the hat that is part of the new uniform is featured at the front of the band room as a beacon to remind the students what they are working toward.
The students are already excited about the music at the high school. They’re hoping the community can help give them something to be excited to wear to perform that music – for their audiences and for themselves.