By Cambria Roth
For the first time since 1999, Silverton High School’s marching band performed at halftime at a football game.
Sophomore Joel Stevens is the reason the marching band program has returned to Silverton High School. Stevens is a drum major and plays the saxophone, guitar, bassoon, flute and piano.
“The school puts a lot of money into athletics but not enough into the band,” Stevens said. “The school used to have a huge marching band that went to state and everything, and I just wanted to bring that back.”
Stevens began to show a genuine interest in marching band last year by attending a University of Oregon marching band camp where he learned how to march, direct, teach and how to make the formations that will be performed on the field. Beginning last year he began to put effort into writing the shapes and has committed to rebuilding the marching band.
Stevens has high hopes for the band by his senior year.
“I want to see the students wanting to go to band class as much as I always want to and I also hope the band will be more noticeable and have more recognition,” Stevens said.
