The Big Banquet

I went to my daughter's Color Guard banquet tonight at the high school.

It was over two hours long...first came the band awards, marching, orchestra, seniors in the band; Awards for every pin, star ,letter and certificate you could dream of.

Finally over an hour into it came time for color guard. She was so proud, I could see it in her precious face. They got great comments from the band director about how they brought home the Gold medal from the state competition.

I will have to say once again... I was impressed with this program she has chosen to bleed me of all the money I don't have.

The band director went on and on about this great group of kids he works with, he teared up a couple of times talking about what they mean to him and how proud he is of their hard work and diligence.

I could tell how the band and color guard felt about being part of this group. They were excited for not only themselves but their team members as well, cheering for each other as certain ones were singled out for specific awards and accomplishments.

They had a video made that they showed, from the beginning of band camp last summer, through the football season, concert season and regional competitions. The faces of these kids, the feeling of camaraderie and the look of happiness and friendship on all of their faces made me tear up as well.

I remember feeling just like that about my own days in the band back in the stone age of the seventies. It is good to see that some things haven't changed ... that teen agers can still bond and grow as young adults in a positive and encouraging environment that they truly love , enjoy and appreciate.

Some of the seniors spoke of how much this program has meant to them and their lives. Some said they don't know what they would have done without it and others cried openly about how much they would miss it.

It was a touching 2 hours and knowing that my daughter longs to be a part of this wonderfully run program that involves not only the kids but parents and volunteers as well is worth every penny it costs.

There were knock out gorgeous girls and chubby girls...studs and geeky looking nerdy types. There were kids in wheelchairs and kids that looked as if they wouldn't fit in anywhere.

But they ALL fit in this group of teens, they all high fived each other and cheered each other on when a name was called. The geeky looking kids got just as much support as the jock types...some of the heavier set girls got more cheers than the "Prom Queen" types. You could tell they all loved each other and that stereo types were no where to be found in this room of several hundred teens.

As a woman quickly approaching fifty and worrying about the state the world is in today...I take great comfort in the fact that my thirteen year old daughter has found her way to this great program and great group of friends. The seniors spoke kindly of the underclassmen, sometimes jokingly but you could feel the love in that room so powerfully that it made me choke up several times. It made me glad my kids go to this massive sized school that has a small town feel to it. The Booster program is tremendous and the parent support is amazing.

This is the kind of thing that makes a young person realize and fulfill their potential. It melds together all different types and personalities and makes them a strong single unit.

With all the problems and ways to go down the wrong path of life, I feel blessed that my daughter wants to walk down this road with an amazing group of kids, led by a dedicated teacher that actually seems to love each and every kid and seems immensely proud of the work these kids do so very well with obvious pride and determination.

Now if we can get the academic teachers to inspire them, we would REALLY have something going on!