The 2024 Pride of the Indians Marching Band leadership is unlike any other leadership team the band has ever seen. Led by seniors, DaMia Greene and Olivia Taft, drum majors of the Pride of the Indians Marching Band. The band has made a tough transition with getting a new band director, Mr. Chasteen. Change is not easy for the band members, however the leadership helped encourage the band to continue going into this new season welcoming any new people. DaMia(Mia) Greene, Drum Major said, “This band can really go places this year without any limit; I feel like the leadership team is really going to take this band far to put on a great show, and make lots of memories.”
The Leadership does a lot behind the scenes, with just under 50 members, the band can be a lot of work and disputes are bound to happen. The Leadership members take care of all of that and more. For example, during the band practices they help with the basic marching techniques, and so much more. Tyler Bucknham, band captain and senior at AHS said, Band captain was only a title for Tyler, he has worked very hard every day leading the high brass section for years now. As a Band captain, he encourages the members to strive to be the best marchers they can be, and live up to their full potential. He said, “I try to make everyone feel welcome because I know that for some people band is an escape from difficult home situations.” Tyler is a leader and a role model to many marching members of all ages.
The band is surrounded by many great leaders. A great example of a leader is Olivia Taft. She is the assistant drum major for the Pride of the Indians Marching Band. Besides conducting alongside DaMia Greene, she does so much for the band. She helps the rehearsals stay on point such as, implementing the silent rehearsals and so they can put the best show on the field posible. Taft works to help the first year members with their technique and music. Taft impacted many people, for example Sarah Hyde, Sarah Hyde freshman at AHS and second year band member for the marching band said, “Olivia really helped me keep going and encouraged me not to quit when it got hard. She really impacted me in a way nobody else has before.”
All of the leadership members do a lot for the band program. Issac Tucker, Band Captain and senior at AHS, said, “I work very hard to make sure that the foundation of the Marching band is strong because without a strong foundation the band will never grow so I work hard every day to make sure that we have the strongest foundation AHS has ever seen.” He helps a lot with resolving disputes between the marchers so our rehearsals are as productive as possible.
Taft learned a lot from her role model, Maggie Early, an alumni of the Pride of the Indians Marching Band. Olivia said, “Maggie pushed me to my full potential like how I want to implement it with the next generation of marching members here at AHS.” All throughout highschool, Olivia Taft has worked everyday to push others to their full potential just as Maggie Early did for her, leaving an impact on the younger generation of band members. Every leadership member has the same goals for the Pride of the Indians Marching band, to lead the band to success and greatness.
