Band Banquet, End of Freshman Year

Ryan's freshman year went by so quickly. Highlights:

• Joined the high school marching band and first learned how to march last July at Band Camp. Continued playing the tuba, as he did in middle school, but the instrument is now the sousaphone, the marching version that he wears over his body rather than hold on his lap.


• Had not been that enthusiastic about taking Band going into the year, but I convinced him to do it because I was excited about traveling to the Rose Parade!


• He found out he LOVES Band, especially performing at the football games, when the tubas act crazy, dancing and running around with the instruments!


• He marched in three parades ~ Aloha Week Parade in September, Tournament of Roses Parade in January, and Kamehameha Day Parade in June.


• He performed "The Gates" in several half-time shows and band tournaments. The music was based on "The Gates" art project erected in New York City's Central Park 1979-2005. It was extremely complicated marching and difficult music, but the band did a fantastic job performing, and the band booster club did a remarkable job constructing large orange "gates" that the band members marched through on the fields. The band came close to sweeping the Mililani Bandfest prizes (won all except for one).


• Participated in the Tournament of Roses trip, performing in Disneyland and at the Bandfest.


• Performed lead guitar with his band "The Michael Sproles Experience" at the school's Hoolaulea.


• Changed the band's name to "Sin to Society" and performed for Pearl Harbor Shipyard workers.


• Met his first "serious" girlfriend Haley and went on his first date. Still going strong, three months (and several thousand text messages) later.


• Started his first job, at the Honolulu Zoo concession, currently working on Sundays.


• Participated in his first Song Contest, with the freshman class coming in third place in the co-ed competition.


• Had a tough time adjusting to the freshman year school work, trying to find a balance between having fun with his friends and studying and doing his homework. Eventually getting to be more responsible and organized.


• Just barely passing Algebra I but deciding to take it again during summer to make sure he really gets it.
• Is known for playing the guitar well at school. When I was explaining to one of his classmates who my son was, she said, "Oh, is he the one who plays the guitar? He's really good!"


• Darrell and I have gotten REALLY involved in school stuff...freshman class as well as band. It's been busy but rewarding too. We do whatever we can to help out.
• Overall, a VERY stressful year, with lots of yelling and crying by all, but we got through it and enjoyed a lot of it.

The end-of-year Band Banquet was held on the last day of school at the Dole Ballrooms. Parents and kids were invited. We've gotten to know a lot of the band parents and families, so we had a nice time. Got to share my trip scrapbook with a few moms...knowing that I needed to finish it by the Band Banquet was a great incentive to get it done!


Here are Ka'ala (left) and Sproles (right) with Ryan, his best friends. Got a nice picture but always wind up getting one where they like to POSE. Ka'ala and Ryan are always asked if they are brothers; they really do look alike.









Posing with their tuba section leader Briar (center) and next year's tuba section leader Wichimai (far right).


The coming year will be just as busy...Ryan continuing with Band and Darrell and I still being active Band Parents.