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While some sectors of the Barnwell County School District experienced growing pains throughout consolidation, that was not the case for marching band students.
The Bands of Barnwell County has woven together career band students with newcomers looking to learn from across the county. Regardless of what school a student attends, they move as a united front on the field.
During the week of July 22, band directors Dawn Vickery, Jessica Pym, and Taylor Clayborn led students in between raindrops on a practice field at Barnwell High School. The directors, who taught band at either the former Barnwell School District 45 or Barnwell County Consolidated School District before consolidation, are continuing to share their passion with Warhorses, Hawks, and Blue Devils alike.
Not only does this year mark the first under consolidation, but the first for Blackville students involved in marching band. Two new band students from Blackville schools joined the team.
One of which is Kenya Tyler, a soon-to-be eighth grader at Macedonia Elementary-Middle School.
“It was hard for a couple of days but as soon as I got through my first week it just came to me,” said Tyler, who plays flute in school band and color guard in marching band.
“When I first came here, I was like maybe I won’t have anything in common with some of them, but some of them I do have things in common with,” said Tyler.
Tyler comes to the band with a background in dance, and first became interested in color guard through girls she took dance classes with who also learned the field skill.
Some of Tyler’s favorite things about being a member of the color guard is learning new tricks and skills, as well as learning the choreography of the routine.
Drum majors Seth Dorn from Williston and Nicholas Jones from Barnwell are leading by example when helping students navigate the field and understand musical terminology. Both soon-to-be seniors are focused on creating a welcoming atmosphere for their upcoming bandmates.
Being a drum major was summed up by Jones as helping anyone with anything, including marching, technique, instrumentation, and essentially “doing the small things so the directors can do the big things,” he said.
Dorn and Jones are not only co-leaders for the first time, but they are guiding a larger-than-usual sized band of nearly 50 students.
Jones describes the consolidation for band students as an adaptation, one that they are becoming accustomed to fairly quickly.
“It’s been a change for everybody, not that anybody is against it, it’s just they have to adapt to it,” said Jones. “Usually when you’re in band, you know the people the whole time because you joined with them in sixth or fifth grade… and then in high school to have a completely new group of people come in, it changes your perspective.”
Both drum majors are looking forward to a winning competition season, as in recent years a state championship was in sight for Barnwell High School.
“We were so close every single year we were there, and it made me want it even more,” said Jones. “We want everyone who comes into the band to have that same want to keep getting better and better.”
Jones and Dorn are aiming to set a new, unique precedent as they lead this consolidated band. Wanting students to have the drive to win in addition to developing the same sentimental memories they remember throughout their years involved.
“You can’t really copy the precedent that you had at any of the three schools, you have to make your own precedent,” said Jones.
In addition to this competitive drive, Dorn and Jones are passionate about giving back to the younger musicians the way their mentors gave to them.
One of those young musicians is Barnwell High School student Aiyanna Palmer, the marching band’s wind captain. Palmer has been in band since fifth grade, started marching band in eighth grade, and is looking up to Dorn and Jones as she starts this season.
“Just as they are drum majors and they’re trying to mirror the band directors, us as leaders try to mirror them,” said Palmer.
Dorn hopes to be an example for all those younger than him in the band; after all, the ‘band family’ is what keeps his determination strong - even during rainy, early morning band camp practices.
“The band captains and drum majors that have come before me allowed me to become the leader I am now,” said Dorn. “I want to do the same thing for the younger ones.”
