Senior Night

It is currently "football season" here in central Illinois this spring. Our team gets only 4 games, and tonight was the only home game. Therefore, it was also the only senior night Sylvia will get to celebrate. (Usually there is a senior night for every activity so that all seniors get to be recognized for what they have participated in, but due to no crowds being allowed at indoor events, and no fine arts performances being allowed at all...well...) Anyway, it was a beautiful evening and it was good for all our hearts tonight!

It was sunny and warm today, and when we arrived at school the senior banners were hung all around the fence at the track. It was a bit surreal to see Sylvia's and her senior bandmates' names. 

So proud of our girl

Sylvia and Isabella have been best friends since kindergarten, and they've loved playing their horns together since 5th grade! 

The girls asked for our families to walk out together during the band senior announcements, and we were all honored to do so.

Annah and Ryan came home just in time for senior night, and recorded and took pictures for us. 

We love these seniors and are so glad they got a little recognition in this year of lost performance opportunities.

After the senior night announcements, the band made their way to the end zone for the National Anthem. Sylvia got to conduct them. It was so cool to see her signal to Caeden to start the drumroll!

The band even got to "take the field"--well, sort of, and Sylvia was announced as drum major! They formed the tunnel for the football team to run through and played the fight song as the seniors were announced and the team ran through onto the field.

Sylvia conducting The Victors

(By this time, the sun was nearly down and it was beginning to feel like a Fall Friday night lights game--quite chilly! So, Sylvia borrowed my mittens.)

I love seeing Caeden play drums!!!

Mr. B, the JH/HS principal joining in support for the band!  

I made rounds through the band to take photos for the yearbook while they were not playing, and asked them to pretend to play. They were all starting to get pretty cold and it was only the first quarter!

By halftime, they were frozen, but they played a great set of pep tunes in the end zone. It was so fun to hear them play!!!

The game was so exciting too!  We won 36-0!  And it was just so great to be together with our community enjoying football and music and seeing each other smile and laugh!

It's been a good week.

Sylvia got to participate in an awesome virtual drum major camp through Phantom Regiment Drum Corps. The entire DCI season has been canceled for the year, so they are running several online camps. Regardless of whether or not there ends up being a marching band season, this camp was an excellent  learning experience and wonderful opportunity for Sylvia.

Some of her conducting notes

Working on her conducting in her mirror

On Wednesday night, Sylvia and Caeden went to a special youth group talk about race reconciliation.  They both said it was really good, and they stopped to get McD's on their way home.

Gram hosted a tea party with fresh fruits, zucchini breads, and Bengal spice tea on her porch!

Caeden spends a lot of his time at his music production station these days. It is very therapeutic for him, and we really enjoy getting to hear the music he creates!

Sylvia had her dearest girlfriends over this evening. Jeremy made a fire in our backyard fire pit, and they all brought snacks and just had a wonderful time together. They talked about their fears and frustrations during this time of Coronavirus and prayed over each other. 

There are blessings in the midst of our struggles in life, all because of the grace of God and the hope of Jesus. Thank you, Lord.

Music Awards Banquet

This evening we celebrated at the RHS Music Awards Banquet!

22 Senior music notes and roses were lined up!

Including this one!

The first award given out was the Drum Major Award for last fall's marching band season.

ILMEA All-District ensembles:

(Chloe - band, Sylvia - Orchestra, Annah - Choir)

ILMEA Solo/Ensemble Contest Brass Quintet - Division I Award

HOIC Band

Annah is the only Ridgeview student ever to make it into the Illinois All-State Honors Choir.

She was very excited to receive an official certificate from IMEC!

Sylvia and Kyle were chosen as the Outstanding Sophomores in Choir!

All 22 seniors were announced and received their music notes. This was emotional.

Seniors and the directors

Cecilia was really the star of the night! Such a cutie!!

Annah was presented with the National School Choral Award!

She received a plaque, pin, and certificate, and her name is now engraved on the plaque displayed at school, as well as listed on the national registry for the award.

Adam received the John Phillip Sousa award.  These are such big honors!

Music has been such an enriching part of Annah's life and education, so much so that she is excited to continue on with it as her career and share it with others in the future!  We are so grateful for all of the wonderful opportunities and education our kids have had in this program!

Marching at EPG

Last marching band competition of the season today at El Paso Gridley HS!

It was CRAZY WINDY, which made it a very VERY COLD day!!!

Grandma Sandi came to watch the girls, and Caeden shared his blanket with her.  Melted my heart.

The band had to walk a looooong way to the warmup area and back, then stood for at least 20 minutes at the windy end of the field before coming on to start the competition. 

Waiting for the signal...

Sylvia is 2 people behind Annah coming onto the field.

I decided not to take any video today, because it was so windy; the wind would've been all that came across on video! I was actually afraid we wouldn't hear the band at all, but they sounded great.  

Opening set

Annah was legitimately worried that the 50 mph wind gusts would blow her right off the podium, so she asked for someone to stand near her just in case!  She said she was focusing really hard on keep her feet firmly planted and maintaining her balance the entire time she was up there today!

Sylvia is the second mellophone from the left here, wearing her glasses today.

Leaving the field

Making a turn

And other turn...

Monster stomping!!!

Seniors, proud of their last marching performance.

L to R: Shelby, Alexis, Jalen, Ethan, Ryan Annah, Jakob, Ryleigh, James, RJ, Adam, Destinie

Shelby and Annah

Ryan and Annah

Poor Sylvia was feeling really sick. Caeden tried to comfort her, and then Jeremy let her them sit in the car with the heat running for the rest of the bands' performances.

We stayed in the car, and the band members who stayed at the competition stayed on the bus to keep warm. It was too cold to sit in the stands and watch the bands, which was a bummer.

We did go back to the field and stood at the fence to watch EPG's exhibition performance before the awards ceremony.

It was the first time EPG held an invitational, and despite the cold, it was a great event. Their band members did such a great job welcoming and encouraging the competing bands! 

We especially loved that they gave a spirit award to the band with the best sportsmanship.

Annah got to accept a trophy for the band!

4th place

A great way to end the marching season!

Great job, Marching Mustangs!