“I said that we’d had zero applicants, and since we didn’t have an instructor, we’d have to get them into other classes,” mentioned Joseph Riley, recalling that afternoon in overdue August.
Then he gave the students a 2d possibility.
He nonetheless had cash budgeted for the track division, Riley mentioned, so if the teenagers sought after to stay the Warriors band going and teach themselves, the school would make stronger them. Anyone who stayed would get complete credit for the category.
“I told them, ‘You all know how to play, so just play. You can do this,’” he mentioned.
The majority of students determined to take a unique magnificence all over 5th duration. But ten students — a important mass — took him up at the be offering.
“The band is important, it gets people pumped during football games,” mentioned Hailey Fitzgerald, a junior who performs the drums. “Without a band, everyone thought the games would be boring.”
She and her bandmates are also shut, she mentioned.
“We’d played together for years — we’re like a family,” mentioned Fitzgerald, 17. “We didn’t want to see it end.”
Band participants who determined to stay it out nominated Fitzgerald as band director, and then the gang enlisted two academics on the school as advisers.
Math academics Casey Griffith and Jennifer Nail-Cook agreed to lend a hand the students with forms, pay attention to them apply when they might and be offering make stronger and recommendation.
“They’re an impressive bunch of kids — from the start, they were really self-motivated,” Nail-Cook mentioned. “We’re all very proud of them.”
During 5th duration every day, band students apply the school track and battle chants, and they’ve realized to paintings in combination, Fitzgerald mentioned. They additionally needed to downside resolve after they learned that they had too many drummers, leading to a number of band participants instructing themselves to play other tools.
The band now has 3 drummers, whilst the opposite participants play tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, a clarinet and a trumpet, she mentioned.
Bandmates got here up with “Rules and Expectations to Live by” that they wrote down and posted to stay the category orderly and clean, together with:
“Instruments and supplies out and ready to play within 5 minutes of class beginning”
“Only play when directed, no arguing about what you’re playing”
“No food or drink (except water) in room”
“Instruments go home for practice on weekends”
“Don’t touch anyone’s instrument, don’t share germs”
By Sept. 22, they have been able to fit up of their maroon and gold uniforms and play at a house soccer recreation towards Richwood High School.
“We were nervous about how it would go, but people really stood up for us,” mentioned trumpet participant Kaidence Cutlip, 14, including that the Warriors gained the sport, 18 to 16.
“Everyone made signs for us in support of the band, and that gave us a lot of confidence,” she mentioned. “We all felt like, ‘We’ve got this.’”
Miles Fitzgerald, 17, is Hailey Fitzgerald’s dual brother, and he mentioned he performed the French horn till he switched to the snare and quad drums this yr.
“Having my sister direct me doesn’t bother me,” Miles mentioned. “Hailey tries her hardest, so we do too. We’re all learning new things together.”
Although the Warriors don’t have sufficient band participants to do marching box displays, they have got been retaining school spirit flowing within the stands, mentioned bass drum participant Miya Johnson.
“I’ve been taking band since the sixth grade, and I wanted to keep the memories going,” she mentioned. “Once we got through the hard part of getting organized, everything else seemed easy.”
The band’s newest efficiency used to be at their school’s homecoming recreation on Friday.
“When we do the ‘War Chant’ — our school song — that’s probably everybody’s favorite,” mentioned clarinetist Jadyn Lane, 17.
“To see so many people supporting and cheering us on, that’s a huge motivator,” she mentioned. “That’s when you know all the hard work is worth it.”
After West Virginia Live featured the band’s efforts to teach themselves, a number of school alumni volunteered to sign up for the students within the stands on Homecoming Day and play their outdated tools, mentioned Riley, the predominant.
“Ours is a rural school with 282 students — it’s the heart of the community,” he mentioned. “Some of our kids ride a bus for an hour and a half just to get here. Everyone is really appreciative of these kids working together to make sure our school still has a band.”
West Virginia is experiencing a certified teacher shortage like many states nationwide, Riley mentioned, noting that track systems are ceaselessly in short supply.
“We’re still hopeful that we’ll find a band instructor, but for now, our students are making it work,” he mentioned. “They’re giving it their all.”
Griffith mentioned she ceaselessly will get teary when she sees how laborious the band students apply and how they paintings in combination of their lecture room to unravel any problems that arise.
“I’ve known most of them for years, and watched them grow in confidence,” Griffith mentioned. “I’m really impressed and moved by them.”
Nail-Cook mentioned she stops via the school room as soon as every week to hear them play.
“It’s incredible to witness the progress they’ve made on their own,” she mentioned. “They all have huge hearts. Having a community is important to them.”
Years from now, Hailey Fitzgerald mentioned she imagines she’ll glance again on her junior yr as band director with satisfaction.
“It was never an option for us to quit — we all love it too much,” she mentioned.