Marion band captures championship in Louisiana

Patriot Pride tops in Music, General Effect, Visual Performance, and Percussion

By Chuck Livingston

Marion School District

The Marion Patriot Pride Marching Band won its second band competition of the season Saturday at the US Bands Ark-La-Miss Regional held at West Monroe High School in Monroe, Louisiana.

This marked the first time for a Marion Band to compete in a US Bands-sponsored event.

US Bands, formally the United States Scholastic Band Association, and sometimes referred to as USSBA, was formed in the fall of 1988 to provide high school marching bands an opportunity to compete in a circuit featuring top judges from across the continent. US Bands is based in Allentown, Penn., and the event is managed by BD Performing Arts.

The Marion Patriot Pride earned the regional championship and also earned top honors for Music, General Effect, Visual Performance, and Percussion. The outstanding performance also qualifies the Marion Band for the US Band Southeastern Championship to be held Nov. 9 in Huntsville, Ala.

“Our students not only performed a magnificent show, but also were also a class organization,” said Marion Di-

See BAND, page A3 rector of Bands Monty Hill.

“As a staff, we could not be more proud of their efforts.”

The order of finish for the top 7 bands was: 1) Marion 2) Parkway 3) West Monroe 4) Denham Springs 5) Ouachita Parish 6) Tioga High School 7) West Ouachita High School Saturday’s victory marks the second championship in two outings for the Marion band this year, having previously earned the Grand Championship at the Mid-South Classic on Oct. 5 in Jonesboro.

Next up for the Marion Patriot Pride Band is the Eastern Shore Classic to be held on Saturday, Oct. 19 in Daphne, Ala.

The complete schedule of upcoming competitions is as follows:

• October 19 – Eastern Shore Classic, Daphne, Ala.

• October 21 – ASBOA Region Assessment, Paragould

• October 26 – McDonald’s Marching Invitational, Paragould

• November 6 – ASBOA State Marching Contest

• November 9 – US Bands Southeast Championship, Huntsville, Ala.

This fall, Marion is fielding its largest band in school history, with 160 members in its competition band and 180 student musicians taking the field for halftime performances on Friday nights. The theme for this year’s competition show is “Riveting.” The show pays homage to “Rosie the Riveter” and all of the women who supplied America’s war effort during World War II.

The Marion School District is an innovative and growing district that ensures an equitable, engaging learning community where every student is empowered to achieve academic excellence and personal growth. With more than 150 years of experience serving families in Crittenden County, the district offers a high school, a junior high, a seventh grade academy, and three award-winning magnet schools. For enrollment information, including information on school choice, visit https://www.msd3.org/ or call 870-739-5100.

Photo courtesy of MSD