The marching band went to the Greater Atlanta Marching Festival and won the Grand Champion award on the weekend of Oct. 13. The band was led by three drum majors, senior Hannah Becker, senior Mackenzie Weston, and junior Cassie Myers.

Becker got her inspiration to audition for the position after talking with Yejin Heo, a past drum major, after a football game.

“I stepped out of the car and knew that I had to audition,” Becker said. “The position seemed intimidating, but I wanted a challenge and to further my leadership skills. After seeing my name on the Facebook announcement [and seeing] that I had made drum major, I cried.”

Myers also got her inspiration to be a drum major from past drum major, Yejin Heo, during her freshman year.

“[Yejin] had one of the biggest impacts on me out of anyone throughout high school, so when I saw the opportunity to maybe do that for someone else, heck yeah I wanted it,” Myers said. “I’ve always seen drum majors as holding such a powerful presence, and while it sometimes doesn’t turn out like this, I think the relationship between drum major and band member should be intensely respectful from both ends.”

Unlike the others, Weston was inspired by someone that she had met earlier on in her life.

“I remember seeing Colton Christian conducting my seventh grade year and I was astounded,” Weston said. “I knew from the moment I saw him on the podium that’s what I wanted to do.”

Becoming drum majors pulled the three together. The time they have spent together has allowed them to rely on one another.

“For us drum majors, we’re all best friends. I couldn’t do the things that I do without Mackenzie or Cassie, knowing that they’re my support system, that they have my back, and that we can laugh and goof off together,” Becker said. “Our relationship is so special because we all help each other to grow as conductors, as leaders, and as friends. Marching band wouldn’t be the same without them.”

Together the band has grown and improved, and the drum majors believe that even more success awaits them in the future.

“We’re taking strides in the right direction this year,” Myers said. “We just beat a school we never dreamed of beating. We’ve just hit an all-time high for the size of our band. We have so much potential, and we’re just on the upward slope right now. I’m excited.”

“I see the band being better than they have ever been,” Weston said. “I see the band working together as a true unit of friends and peers towards a common goal, and I see them reaching that goal in flying colors.”

The three drum majors agree that the competition on Oct. 13 is the first victory of many that they expect this year.