Spartans,
This past weekend the Pride of Bixby Marching Band traveled to Missouri to compete in the Branson HS Marching Invitational. This was our first out-of-state contest in two years and our first appearance ever at the Branson Invitational. The Pride placed first in class and took high visual, music, color guard, and percussion in the preliminary performance. They advanced to finals where they took first place, took all categories, and were named grand champion of the 7th annual Branson Invitational.
As I waited in the lobby of our hotel the morning we checked out, I was approached several times by other guests and hotel staff. Their comments were very complimentary of our students' behavior and manners:
- "We heard there was going to be a band checking in late on Friday and we were concerned.....your kids were so quiet...we hardly knew you were here."
- "Your students were so polite...everyone answered with yes ma'am and let us take the elevator first."
- "Your students are welcome here anytime...best student group we have ever had"
This says so much about the expectations of our school and community. I want to thank our faculty at BHS and 9GC for instilling a culture of respect and humility in our students. These students reflect the values of their community and represent those values for others to see. To me, this means more than any trophy or placement.
Next week we travel to St. Louis to compete in one of the largest contests in the nation, featuring 60 groups from across the US. If you would like to keep up with your Bixby Band, we are on Facebook.
Have a great week, Spartans!
Jeremy Parker
Director of Bands
