CLEVELAND — The Shaw High School band is tuning up for a new season.
What You Need To Know
- School marching bands have been practicing through the summer for football season
- Shaw High School's band director is an alum of the program
- He said band used to be a club but now students will get class credit at Shaw
Randolph Woods is the band director at Shaw High School. He said marching band is treated like a team sport, since band practice takes a commitment to build cohesion.
“We hope to be entertaining, engaging to the crowd and showcasing the challenging thing these students have gone through for months," Woods said.
That's why he said he pushed for students to now earn credit for marching band. Woods is an alum of the program and said the band was just an activity when he first joined. Now it’s considered a class.
“They dedicate so many hours to this, a minimum of three to four hours a night during the school year and the summer as well so we feel students definitively need to receive credit for that experience," Woods said.
Senior Dezzarae Kyles said the pandemic shortened the last two seasons. As band president, she said this motivates her to go all out in her final year.
“I want some fire for this year because being away for so long. I miss it, so I want it back. I want this year to be great. I want it to be different," Kyles said.
Woods said the band opened doors for him, and some students may even be able to play in college. Woods said the lessons they learn here are ones they’ll use throughout their life.
“A big part of that access is then having the skills and experience to do this at the next level, or even if it’s not this, to gain the social skills and dedication to apply to whatever they choose to apply to," Woods said.