CHIMACUM — The Chimacum High School marching band recently participated in the Loyalty Days Parade in Long Beach.
The band was awarded the Loyalty Days Parade Sweepstakes award as the best of the day out of a field of 25 marching bands.
“Winning this award was a big achievement. I haven’t seen a more successful year for our band,” said Elizabeth Kline, a senior band member. “I’m so proud of myself and all my amazing friends in this band. This year we’ve done nothing but push ourselves and make sure this year we gave it nothing but our all.”
The overnight trip was funded by the Friends of Chimacum Schools Education Foundation.
“We greatly thank the Friends of Chimacum for their support. We could not have made this trip possible without their financial support,” said Daniel Ferland, the band director. “This was such a great opportunity to represent the Chimacum community and a well-deserved trip for our band members.”
The band has been busy during its first year under Ferland’s direction.
The pep band started the year off by supporting the Rivals football team, and the drumline marched in Port Townsend’s Kinetic Festival parade.
The concert band earned “Excellent” ratings during the North Olympic Large Group Assessment conducted at Port Angeles High School in March.
The Chimacum Drumline performed in competitions for the first time, placing third in the Class A category at the Lincoln Invitational Competition in Tacoma and third overall in the Orting Battle of the Drumlines show.
On the individual level, several Chimacum students have been recognized for their work this year.
Hayden Montgomery, Steven Woolbright, Layton Lopeman and Michaal Groth all placed first in their individual solo categories at the North Olympic Solo/Ensemble competitions.
Montgomery also placed first in the music composition category, and Groth placed first in both the tenor saxophone and the soprano saxophone divisions.
These four students went on to compete in the Washington Music Educators State Competition at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, where each earned both Superior and Excellent ratings.
Locally, percussionists Hayden Montgomery and Steven Woolbright both took top prizes at the Stars of Tomorrow Competition and the Port Townsend Symphony Young Artists Competition.
Montgomery placed first and Woolbright second at the Stars of Tomorrow, while Woolbright placed first and Montgomery second at the Young Artists Competition.
Ferland has worked to build leadership in the band program and give students a sense of ownership.
“I’m very excited with the direction of our program and the work the kids are putting in,” Ferland said. “They are seeing that hard work and determination pay off as they also have a great time together.”
