Trending
PARKERSBURG -- The Parkersburg South High School Marching Band continues to win awards at competitions this year.
During the 2017 marching season, the Parkersburg South High School Band has won 17 first-place awards, two honor band titles, three grand champion titles and two runner-up grand champion titles.
"I am really proud of these kids," Parkersburg South High Band Director Eric Staats said about the band members.
The Patriot Band has 84 members, including 33 first-year members. In his first year at South seven years ago, the Patriot Marching Band had 45 members, Staats said.
The band's 2017 production title is "The Speed of Life."
Awards won this year include: at the Oil and Gas Festival in Sistersville on Sept. 16, gold medals, Field Show Band, Parade Band and Color Guard; silver medal, Percussion; overall award, Honor Band; at the Hurricane Whirlwind of Music on Sept. 30: first-place awards, Field Show Band and Percussion; second-place award, Color Guard; overall award, Runner-up Grand Champion; at the Ripley High School Vikingfest on Oct. 7: first-place awards, Field Show Band, Percussion, Color Guard and Field Commander; second-place award, Feature Twirler, overall awards, Grand Champion and Outstanding Show Design.
At the Black Walnut Festival in Spencer on Oct. 14: first-place awards, Parade Band, Field Show Band, Percussion, Color Guard and Field Commander; overall awards, Grand Champion Parade, Grand Champion Field Show and Honor Band (fourth year in a row receiving this honor).
The PSHS Band has competed against the following Class AAA bands this year: George Washington, Capital, Ripley, Huntington, Spring Valley, Brooke and South Charleston.
Besides Staats, the PSHS Band staff for 2017-18 includes Greg Myers, assistant director; Lori Myers, Color Guard instructor; Kayla VanKirk, twirler instructor, and Ryan Swanson, percussion instructor.
PSHS Field Commander is Wade Powers, instrumental soloists are Morgan Cunningham, trumpet, Allison Ezell, horn, Katie Rhodes, alto saxophone, Jacob Summers, trumpet, and Color Guard soloists are Candra Collins, EmeleeManhattan Deming, Delaney Morgan, Erica Parsons and Natalie Tanner.
Staats presented a clinic at the National Federation of High Schools Music Conference in September in Chicago. At the clinic, Staats said, he discussed the importance of developing and cultivating community and culture with a music program.
Band members at Parkersburg South High School learn the importance of civic responsibility and helping others in the community, Staats said. The band participates in programs such as Veterans Day activities.
Staats said he enjoyed discussing topics of importance to music programs nationwide and meeting with people from other states at the Chicago conference.