Pride
The Trumbull High School Golden Eagle Marching Band (THSGEMB)
has been a Trumbull tradition for almost 30 years.
Hundreds of students have performed for thousands of people at
band competitions, local, regional, and nationally televised parades.
In addition THSGEMB marched in the 54th and 56th Presidential Inaugural Parades.
This is the largest program at Trumbull High School.
Attitude
Researchers have found that students with high arts involvement
performed better on standardized achievement tests than other students.
One explanation is that musical training in rhythm emphasizes
proportion, patterns and ratios expressed as mathematical relations.
High arts-involved students also watch fewer hours of TV,
participate in more community service and report less boredom in school.
The attitude is scholastic. At Trumbull High School most band members go on to college,
and many have attended the top schools in the country.
The attitude is involvement.
Many band and guard members are also involved in other extracurricular activities
during the off season including athletics, drama, dance, the school newspaper, and school clubs.
In addition, they are involved in community programs and others have part-time jobs.
The attitude is respect. By being accountable for their own performance,
they are taught respect for their fellow band and guard members.
Standing at attention and saluting every winning band at a competition,
teaches them respect for their competitors. By performing at a level they
might not have dreamed possible, they learn respect of self.
Concentration
The Marching Band’s season runs from July through mid-November.
In August students attend band camp. This is a 2-week long
intensive training program where students learn the music and drill.
It is during band camp students are taught and practice the season’s show.
Once school starts, the students practice three hours on
Tuesdays and Thursdays evenings and six hours on Saturday.
Practice on Saturday is followed by a band competition.
Of course, with all of this practice, some ask “When is there time for homework?”
Band students quickly learn exceptional time-management skills.
Some have theorized that the need to manage their time causes band and guard students to focus
more on homework and is in part responsible for better academic performance.