Tracy Sham Photography
In a crowning achievement for a whirlwind season, The Columbia High School Cougar Marching Band has won the State Championships first-place title for group V A, while also snagging the special caption award for Best Color Guard and the highly-coveted Best Overall Effect award. Earning its highest score since joining the US Bands circuit over 5 years ago and attaining the goal of “breaking 90,” it is the first time in recent memory the band has achieved these honors at this level.
It has been a truly special year for the Cougar Band, as It has fielded its largest detail in years with 100 students in the ensemble. The band’s field show, Club Fuego, transported viewers to a magical night at a jazz club complete with screaming tunes, slick moves, passionate dancing, scorching horn licks, and drill and choreography on a level never attempted before by the band. This year’s show has been an all-out sensory masterpiece, showcasing the exceptional talents of the color guard, band and staff. The result was an exuberant and joyful experience for all, and the judges seemed to enjoy it just as much as anyone.
Tracy Sham Photography
The members of the band and color guard have been hard at work preparing the show since early summer (after working on fundamentals all spring), with eyes set on Saturday’s culminating State Championships competition at Robbinsville High School. Competing in a group of nine bands from all over NJ, the band handily delivered a crowd favorite.
As news of the Cougars’ victory spread, an electrifying day was capped off with an official police escort into town by the Maplewood and South Orange Police Departments and a heroes’ welcome at Columbia by Maplewood Mayor Victor De Luca and Deputy Mayor Malia Herman. The delegation was among the first to congratulate the students and brought along Halloween treats for the hungry students on what was to be one of their most memorable days at CHS.
CHSMPA congratulates the band, the color guard and the outstanding staff on this watershed achievement. The Marching Band is one of the most visible ambassadors for Columbia High School and SOMSD, and they have represented their school, their district, their town and the arts in South Orange and Maplewood with distinction.
CHSMPA would like to extend its gratitude to the incredible staff for their dedication and countless hours spent making this program an enriching, transformative experience for the students. Our deepest gratitude to Mr. Peter F. Bauer (Director), Mrs. Kaelyn Rajmohan (Assistant Director) and Mr. D'Sherrick Williams (Color Guard Coordinator) for their unending dedication, leadership, vision and expertise. Additional thanks to Mr. Maxwell Winters (Percussion Coordinator), Mr. William Wheeler (Percussion Instructor), Mr. Declan Walsh (Visual Instruction Staff), Ms. Melody Czukoski (Color Guard Assistant), and Mr. Chris Burbank (Drill Designer) for helping these extraordinary kids achieve their goals.
CHSMPA would also like to thank Mr. Frank Sanchez, Columbia High School Principal, for his unending support of this program. We also extend appreciation to Superintendent Jason Bing, Members of the Board of Education and Athletic Director Sjocquelyn Winstead for their support this season. It was truly great having Mr. Sanchez and Ms. Winstead in attendance at Championships to witness the band’s triumphant performance.
Further, CHSMPA would like to thank the 40+ volunteer parents who support this program every single week, in almost every capacity imaginable. From preparing, donating and serving lunches, to moving, packing and repairing equipment and set pieces, to driving trucks, to running fundraisers, to planning events for the kids, to shooting film and video, and to chaperoning, band parents show up in so many ways to support our kids.
CHSMPA also extends thanks and appreciation to the host schools, and the organizers, administrators and judges at US Bands for their diligent work in stewarding this important activity and promoting the pageantry arts across the region. US Bands’s stated mission is “to support the development of young people into magnificent human beings through participation in the performing arts.” We at CHSMPA could not agree with that purpose more.
And lastly, we’d like to thank the members and donors of CHSMPA for helping to fund and staff this program. CHSMPA could not show up for music education in so many ways for so many kids without your volunteer and financial support, and seeing students achieve their goals on the biggest stages in the region helps underscore the importance of what we do. Thank you.
The season is over, but you can always help. Click here to become a member of CHSMPA. Or donate to CHSMPA here or donate to the Marching Band here.
Photos courtesy Tracy Sham Photography, all rights reserved.