| From the Alumni:
Almost all careers - among other important endeavors - involve working with people. That's what the RHS Marching Band experience is ultimately about. During the course of the two political campaigns I've worked on since college, I've been exposed to lots of ingenious political strategists, but few good managers. Some lack a commitment to their management responsibilities; some don't recognize the importance of leadership; some lack basic respect and appreciation toward their staffs.
I'm currently preparing for a position as senior staff member on a senatorial campaign. Management will play a big role in the job. Approaching the task, I still reflect on my experience as Drum Major of the Marching Band: my first real experience as a leader in an organization. I gained a vantage point over how a group of 120 people can, through a leadership infrastructure comprised of students, work together toward a single goal. Demanding as it was, the experience instilled a maturity and confidence, and an understanding of people, that I've kept with me.
Brian Horan, Drum Major, saxophone,
RHS Class of 1997
B.A., Political Science, Columbia University, 2001
Political Consultant, Washington, DC
The RHS Marching Band creates and fosters a sense of community within the high school which truly helps with each stage of the high school process. As a welcoming and healthy environment in the freshman year, the Band brings students into an organization of focus, respect, and creativity that allows for an easy adjustment into high school. In their sophomore and junior years, the band offers mentoring and leadership roles to the students. Working with a truly professional staff, the students are placed in a dynamic setting where they are able to mix their need to continue being taught with their desire to teach others. Each student becomes a leader with a whole staff of mentors. In their senior year, the program provides a family of friends and teachers to help in the transition from high school onward.
It was in this transition that I found the band to be especially helpful. As hard as the transition into high school may seem, the transition to post graduate life, albeit college or otherwise, is a much tougher one. Moving away from your family and into a new environment creates a situation where students always look back on their high school experience for support. Being a part of this program provides that support. Spending four years developing the ability to work with others, exercising leadership, and defining oneself is the same task they will face going to college. Doing it once will prove they can do it again.
Being a part of the Marching Band goes much further than the ability to play instruments and march in straight lines. Make no mistake, the focus is on a musical performance that easily rivals any other school. But it is the true care for personal development and outstanding people that I found in the Marching Band program which is unparalleled in Ridgewood High School and is truly a unique opportunity.
- MichaelAaron Flicker, trombone, RHS Class of 2001
B.S., Political Science, Boston College, 2005
Legislative Aide, US Senator Frank Lautenberg,
Washington, DC
President, Xeno Psi Media
As a college music major, I found the RHS Marching Band experience to be especially beneficial on two levels. Musically, the Marching Band pushed my technical and expressive limits as a high school player. It promoted listening skills, enhanced my technique, and helped to build the musical vocabulary that I use everyday. Additionally, I learned invaluable lessons about leadership from the opportunities I received during every rehearsal and performance. Marching Band students gain ownership for their work, establish a strong work ethnic, learn to manage their time, and develop a sense of pride in a job well done. These skills have allowed me to succeed both as a college student and a performing musician.
- Sean Connors, percussion, RHS Class of 2000
B.A., Music Education, Eastman School of Music, 2004
M.A. Candidate in Music Performance,
Northwestern University
To say that the Marching Band was an integral part of my high school experience would be an understatement. Not only did it shape my life while at Ridgewood, but it developed in me many skills that I brought to the college level and into my professional life.
The band teaches leadership and responsibility at all levels to each person. The drum major, field captain, and section leaders may present this concept outwardly, but each individual has a sense of personal ownership and responsibility once the band takes the field. These concepts are crucial to collegiate and professional success, where students (and later professionals) are expected to be independent, to take initiative, and be completely responsible for their work. The band also teaches the values of friendship and group unity, without which the band would crumble. There are many of us who remain close, nearly five years after graduating. We get together for dinner over vacations, catch up on life, and always remember the great times we shared, the true reason why our friendships remain strong.
The product of music and marching that the audience sees is merely the surface of the RHS Marching Band. The values it fosters and the friendships that emerge are what truly make it an activity worth joining. If you commit yourself to it, it will produce a person better than the one who entered.
- Doug Hutton, percussion, RHS Class of 2001
B.S., Political Science, Wake Forest University, 2005
Business Analyst, Corporate Executive Board,
Washington, DC
M.A. Candidate, George Washington University, Major in Political Management
Marching Band is the strongest and most positive memory from my time at RHS. Marching Band gave me the opportunity to work closely with many other people toward one common goal. The Marching Band is a team in the purest sense of the word - no one “sits the bench.” Each person is an essential part of the group, which means that you are as much responsible for yourself, as you are to the group as a whole. I learned that when working with other people, you need to “pull your own weight” and SHOW the other members that you are invested. This will produce an atmosphere of cooperation, respect, and unity that is vital to accomplishing any goal.
The Marching Band also enabled me to take on leadership roles, as section leader and Band President. There were many things I learned in these leadership positions, but most of all was the power of leading by example. If you treat people with respect, they are more likely to respect you.
- Elizabeth Zurla, clarinet, RHS Class of 1995
B.A., Elementary Education, Boston College, 1999
Fourth Grade Teacher, Somerville School, Ridgewood,
NJ
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