PITY PARTY 101

It’s been a disappointing week. When people disappoint me, I take it a little to personally sometimes. I’m constantly searching for perfection in an imperfect world. Occasionally, I even throw myself a “pity party”. You know, one of those “no one cares, why should I” attitudes that do absolutely no good but, hey, even the “King” is human!

I’m a big believer in the mission of the Patriot Band and MusicWorks. I have seen great things come from our students and you know what I am most grateful for – the fact that I have grown as a person due to my association with these organizations. Organization isn’t even the right word – “organization” sounds cold and lifeless. Let me say the people in these organizations – the students and staff that I work, eat, travel, and above all, make music with every year.

On the other hand, I’ve seen people give in to the “dark side” – the endless “pity party”. I think to be successful in what we do, you have to have a work ethic, you need to care, you need to have passion, you need to want to save the world! You need to believe that all of this is real and not hogwash! You need to believe that a few people can change the world or at least your small part of it. You need to laugh at a good joke and cry at a great performance and be sad when a great group of kids moves on! You need to get up in the morning vowing to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. You need to know that we do great things and because of each one of us involved, both students and staff, we will do greater things!

This is not a dream and this is not a dress rehearsal!

We change lives – teacher to student and student to teacher!

It is hard work. It requires sacrifice, but I say, the payment back, if you open yourself to the possibility, is incredible!

THANKS!

RECITAL "HOMERUN" FOR EMILIE!

WOW! I'M GLAD THAT'S OVER!

ON THE "MELON" SCALE FROM 1 TO 10, I GIVE IT AN 11!


Our former student teacher, current color guard caption head, and future assistant band director Emilie Boyes completed a milestone today when she performed her senior recital in the recital hall at Taylor University. Daddy V and Mr. Smeltzer were fortunate enough to be able to attend today's recital and were certainly impressed by the Emilie's french horn "chops". Not that we ever doubted her ability, but today was Emilie's chance to really shine and shine she did! The music was almost as gourgeous as the musician! Incidentally, Emilie was accompanied on piano by the Patriot Band's own Jason Hart. Good job, Secretary!


YEAH, DATS RIGHT! MY DADDY PLAYS PIANO AND HE PLAYS IT GOOD! IF YOU SAY OTHERWISE, YOU BE TALKIN' TO MY COUSIN GUIDO FROM NEWARK, SEE?

Daddy V congratulates Emilie on this accomplishment (remembering his own feelings of relief following his senior recital) and wishes her the best as she finishes up her last week at Taylor. Today, a beautiful black dress - next Saturday, cap and gown - June 25th, shorts and a t-shirt! Summer band starts in 42 days!!!!!!!

BAND BANQUET WRAP-UP

Another Patriot Band banquet has come and gone and with it bittersweet feelings as we celebrate our successes of the past year and say good-bye to our seniors who have meant so much to the band program and so much to the staff. Congratulations to our award winners: Outstanding Senior - Sara Garringer (actually related to Daddy V) Outstanding Underclassman - Lee Haggenjos (lead vocal and guitar player for Faere Wyndes, Daddy V's celtic folk group) Outstanding guard member - Alisha DeWitt (gotta love those red heads).

After some discussion among attendees, the following was decided:

On a scale from 1 to 10:

Speeches:
Miss Guise - 7
Mr. Smeltzer - 8
Daddy V - -2

Band Camp DVD - 10 (Thanks Jason and Mark)

NY/DC Power-Point Presentation - 11 (Thanks Devon)

Next year, fewer speeches - more video!!!

KICKING AGAINST THE PRICKS....DON'T BACK UP!

In the book of Acts (that's in the New Testament genius) there is the story of Saul (later re-named Paul) and his Damascus Road conversion. One of the quotes from the voice of God referred to the fact that Saul was "kicking against the pricks". The origins of this phrase go back to ancient agricultural practices when farmers used oxen to plow their fields. Behind each ox was mounted a sharp pointed stick called a "prick". If the ox tried to back up or kick at the farmer he would receive a less than gentle reminder to keep moving straight ahead. Hence the derogatory use of the word "prick". I've heard this story many times and it always reminds me of the way some of you try to "kick" against those trying to keep you in line. More often than not you "kick against the pricks" (no pun intended) and through no fault of the "pricks" you have to get the "point". Two examples that come to mind are the continued problems with gum chewing and going the wrong way in and out of the instrument room door - two rather innocuos examples that continue to give you and the staff fits. You, (the "oxen") kick at the staff (the "pricks") with your gum chewing and wrong "way-ing" and since it's up to the "pricks" to maintain order, we have to hurt you. And not just the band staff - how about your parents! Again, parents are given the responsibility of maintaining your personal order and sometimes they must be the "pricks" to keep you moving in the right direction. So do yourself a favor and realize that the "pricks" behind you that are put there for your own good and someday you'll probably be a "prick" too!

Daddy "The Prick" V

ON-GOING PREPARATIONS......AHEAD OF SCHEDULE!

Your Patriot Band staff continues the hard work of completing this summer's show. If preparation is any measure of success, this should be a GREAT summer! Those of you in band know that the repetoire is in place and it is "HOT"! Please be patient while we "tweek" some of the music. We usually don't have the luxury of doing this during school time, but thanks to Mr. Smeltzer and Miss Guise the music is way ahead of schedule. On Monday, Mr. Smeltzer and Daddy V met with Jeff Wroblewski concerning drill and show concepts. Ideas flowed freely, and some really sweet things could develop with this show. Again, this meeting was way ahead of schedule and gives us time to bounce more ideas back and forth. Add to this Emilie Boyes as our on-staff guard choreographer with her flag designs already in the works and we have the formula for success. Daddy V has promised the guard that we will have all show flags in place by the first contest. Incidentally, for those of you who don't know, we have added sabres to the guard this year. Other staff this summer will include old stand-bys Jason Hart (how many years now Jason?) Mark Garringer (have to keep an eye on him this summer - ya know what I mean?) Leslie Schwartzkopf, Sam Hilfiker, Sara Ullom, Amy Grady and new-comers Caitlin Dunn, Samantha Freeman and Lauren Whitesell.

Obviously, all the staff and preparation in the world won't make up for a lack of effort on the part of you the band members. Some of the things we will ask you to do this summer may seem odd, but we will be pushing the "envelope" and trying to step up our level of performance. Do your part - PRACTICE, encourage others in your section, PRACTICE, stay positive, PRACTICE, work hard, PRACTICE, and above all...

Talk to me, I'm Daddy V!

TRAVEL FOR AWARENESS OF EGO AND ETHNOCENTRISM - THE WORLD DOESN'T REVOLVE AROUND YOU!

Can you believe that 34 years after high school graduation, Daddy V still remembers some of what he learned in high school sociology. (I had a great teacher - Tony LaFemina. He also taught anthropology and economics, and co-owned an Italian resteraunt with a fellow teacher. He was also the drama club sponsor. Because of him, I found a love for the stage and for economics. This is the guy who got his entire economics class a tour of the World Trade Centers before they were even finished!) Egocentrism is the belief that the world pretty much revolves around you - you are right everyone else is wrong. Ethnocentrism is kind of the same thing only it's not about you personally as much as it's about your "people" or your social group. Now I don't believe that this is as much a problem in Jay County in 2007 as it was back in 1977 - Jay Countians are a much more mobile group now then ever before. My point is that travel, especially to large metropolitan areas, makes you realize what a "small fish" in a really "big ocean" you really are! Even growing up in the New York/Metro area, I didn't realize this myself until the first time I flew out of Newark Airport and for the first time realized the size of the NY/Metro area and the millions of people who lived in the there. To bring it closer to home, I'm sure that most Patriot Band members were certainly awed by the sight of New York City and humbled by the pace and variety of life (even in the rain) and the opportunites available in a land area that is smaller than Jay County. This kind of "wake-up call" is a great way to counter-act much of the psycho-babble we hear these days concerning the importance of the individual - secular humanism. Surprise, surprise - the world doesn't revolve around you, Jay County, or even the State of Indiana. We are all just small players in the God-created drama called life.

Agree or disagree!

Talk to me, I'm Daddy V

TRAVEL TO REPRESENT - THERE IS MORE THAN CORN IN INDIANA!

How about the value of representing our county? Granted, most people in Washington D.C. and NYC have absolutely no idea where Indiana is let alone Jay County, but still, the chance to show somebody somewhere that “there is more than corn in Indiana” has got to count for something, and yes, we looked GREAT in the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade (a festival I might add that is sponsored by our National Park Service, who also employs one of our former drum majors, Jeff Jutte, who was able to visit with the band for a time). Representing our county and state is nothing new for the Patriot Band. We have appeared in parades in Washington DC (4 times), Philadelphia (2 times), Michigan (Detroit, probably 5 times, Holland, once) Gatlinburg, TN (probably 5 times) and Indianapolis (more times then I can count). In addition to our parade performances, we normally received great comments on the way our kids handle themselves in motels and restaurants. Again, our kids know what is expected of them on band trips because the middle school band directors start taking them to concerts and theatre events when they are in the 6th grade.

Agree or disagree!

Talk to me, I'm Daddy V.

TRAVEL FOR REWARD - WHERE WERE YOU LAST JULY 4TH?

Certainly I'm biased on the issue of a reward for the band for a job well-done, but as far as I'm concerned, there are no other groups at JCHS that serve the Jay County area better than the Patriot Band – not no one, not no how! That's not to say that there aren't other JCHS groups that provide service for our community, including the choir, sports teams, drama, FFA, etc. But for most of the year the Patriot Band and staff serves the county in ways no other organization can. A perfect example is the many local parades at which we perform. Every community has at least one parade every year (Portland, Dunkirk, Redkey, Bryant, Pennville, Salamonia) plus Homecoming and the Parade of Lights. That's eight weekends or holidays that are interrupted each year just for a parade. For example, this July 4th, while most are enjoying a day off, the Patriot Band and staff will be providing parade entertainment for the city of Portland. It’s expected - it’s what we do - but it doesn’t take away from the fact that as a band and staff we work on more holidays, Fridays and Saturdays than any other group.

In addition, we perform at every home football and basketball game and in recent years have taken to showing up at several girl's games each season. We are also asked to perform on Memorial Day, special events and anniversaries such as the hospital anniversary last fall, the Wal-Mart grand opening, etc., etc. etc. Some of these event organizers are kind enough to pay us for performing but that money is used to pay band expenses and not the kids or staff!

So what's wrong with giving the band a reward once in a while. Just don't forget, the trip "reward" this year came with a hefty price tag - close to $600!

Agree or disagree!

Talk to me, I'm Daddy V

TRAVEL FOR EDUCATION - WHAT I LEARNED ON MY BAND TRIP!

Many have argued over the years that band travel is nothing but a recreational adventure and has no place in the band curriculum. But in light of recommendations, studies and reports done over the course of many years, experts believe that student travel in and of itself can be an educational experience – it’s the ultimate in “hands-on” learning! And what better way to give kids “hand-on” learning than in cities like Washington D.C. (bus and walking tour of government and historical sites and the Smithsonian for ½ half a day) and New York City (bus tour, walking tour, Broadway show, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, etc.) Now granted what we did was somewhat rushed, but if we did nothing more than expose the students to new places where they may return to some day for a repeat visit, we accomplished our goal. Even Daddy V did his part by trying to give blog-readers some information about the "Big Apple" before we ever left Portland. Do you know why New York City has developed into such and important city over the last 300 years? I'll bet a lot of the band kids do now! (hint: schist)

In additon to general and historical knowledge, travel seems to increase a student's vocabulary. In their vocabulary manual “Building Academic Vocabulary” (ASCD – 2005) Marzano and Pickering point out that many students arrive in school with well-developed vocabularies because “they or their families may have traveled extensively, exposing them to a variety of individuals, experiences, and cultures. Such students commonly take part in conversations at home that involve abundant information that will be useful to them in school. In short they may have incidentally gained the academic background knowledge they need to succeed in school.” When Daddy V was a pup, his family traveled every summer and not just the same ol’ trip to the same ol’ motel on the same ol’ beach in Florida. My dad loved to travel and we traversed the country not once, not twice, but three times during my high school years - three weeks, in the summer, every other year, from New Jersey to California and back again. My dad was blessed with a good business that allowed him the time and resources for this kind of travel and in retrospect I’m sure that’s why my vocab scores on standardized tests were always off the charts. Most of Daddy V’s grades were “beach” grades – you know, right at “C” level – but when it came to reading, English, and history – ah yes, I was a legend.
Some day, when you have time, type “educational value of travel” into your browser and see how many hits you get. Granted many of the links are to travel companies, but their sites often have justification for educational travel including several that sight a congressional resolution regarding the value of student travel.

Agree or disagree!

Talk to me, I'm Daddy V

ON THE ROAD AGAIN.....BUT WHY?

ON THE ROAD AGAIN...............


.......BUT WHY?

In light of the recent unpleasentness regarding comments about band travel, Daddy V has decided to take the issue on head-first! After much pondering, reading, web searching, etc., Daddy V has written what amounts to a short book regarding the benefits of student travel in general and Patriot Band travel specifically. Not wanting to bore you out of your minds, I will serialize my "book" over several entries to minimize eye strain and brain drain.

Topics discussed will include:

Travel for Education - "What I Learned on My Band Trip"

Travel for Reward - "Where Were You Last July 4th?"

Travel to Represent - "My Indiana Home"

Travel for Awareness of Ethno and Ego-Centrism - "The World Doesn't Revolve Around Me?"

As always, your comments, pro and con, are encouraged and appreciated and will be posted.

Daddy V