Tonight (10/07/09) was the first
Band Parent Association meeting of the season, and also on the
agenda was an Awards Ceremony for giving out awards from the BPA
to various students. The Awards were supposed to have been given
out at the end of August, but that never happened, so tonight is
the big night.
The awards were on display at the
front of the cafeteria where the meeting was held. But first, the
Band Parents went through their agenda taking care of business.
The agenda and the minutes of the meeting will soon be posted for
the benefit of anyone who missed the meeting.
BPA President, Jackie Saez
explained the philosophy of accepting help from wherever it was
offered. If a Band Parent has an idea for raising funds, feeding
the band, providing transportation, etc., the BPA will back them
up and help them accomplish that goal. But the idea is that no
one else is going to take charge if they don't; the band is made
up of their children and the parents need to get together and
support their children in this endeavor.
It was recommended that Band
Parents attend the next Board of Education meeting (see CALENDAR) as a group in order to show their unity and support of
the band.
Meanwhile, the band was lining up in the hall
outside the cafeteria, getting ready to make a grand entrance.
Then they filed in and performed two pieces of
music for their parents. You will find excerpts from their
performance on the video below. It is a shame that students can't
see these videos on the school computers because they are blocked
by the district's Internet policy, but they can be seen and heard
on most home computers.
The section leaders, all of whom had traveled to
Southern University for the Summer Band Camp week in July, were
singled out for their special achievements and accomplishments
both there and back in East Orange as they taught the new
students the lessons they had learned.
Also singled out for a special award for his
volunteer work with the drumline was alumnus drum instructor Mr.
Rasheem Franklin. (L-R: Ms Jacqueline Saez, Mr. Rasheem Franklin,
Mr. Leon Mantle) This photo and a brief explanation appeared in
the East Orange Record on 10/29/09.
The Band Parents Association also had a trophy
and a special plaque to award Band Director Mr. Frederick Goode.
(L-R: Mr. Leon Mantle, Mr. Frederick Goode)
The most important job after the meeting was over
was participating in the general clean-up, including Mr.
Goode who was still wearing his medals as he patiently
mopped the floor and helped move tables back into
position. All the band parents and band members pitched
in and when the cafeteria was clean, the meeting
adjourned.
