The Santiago Drumline is an extension of the Santiago BOSS that all percussionists in the band join. We practice every Tuesday after school from 3-6, and we only take breaks for holidays or other events. As most students know, we play at many school functions whenever we are asked like, rallies, games, and other events. Everybody in the Drumline really enjoys providing entertainment for the school, and we also just love testing our abilities as well. My experience in it has been really awesome and I am really grateful for all the opportunities it has given me. I joined Drumline my freshmen year of high school, where practices had begun the summer before freshman year even started. The environment is really easygoing but also is determined. During practice, you get to learn so many things about drumming and marching and you can gradually start to see your improvement. You also get to interact with our instructor, Brandon Fox (we just call him Fox), who is a really chill guy who you can joke around with, but he also really knows how to teach this group of students very well. 

      I joined with a couple of my friends who were all percussionists with me at Citrus Intermediate School, so despite being unfamiliar with most of the people at the start, I still had my friends to be there with me. Then over the course of my freshman year, I made friends with plenty of people in the Drumline of all ages. One person who stands out to me and I’m sure to others was a former Santiago student, Brandon Fox (not to confuse him with the previously mentioned Brandon Fox). He was a sophomore at the time and he was a really welcoming person who made all the newcomers feel like they belonged, and over the years we had built a good friendship and is someone who you know you can count on in life. I have also met some alumni who really set a great example for me of how to be a leader, and who constantly show me time and time again how to keep pushing on in my career. And I also met people with similar interests along with people with unique interests. You can find people from many different walks of life in Drumline.

  Along with meeting role models and mentors, I have also met some of my closest friends as well. Sophomore year came around and so did new freshmen, meaning a new opportunity to establish connections with new people. There were these four freshmen who stood out to me the most, named Cooper, Ella, Ethan, and Saim. Over time, after spending so much time in the same space together, we all became really good friends and now they are the closest friends I have ever had in a long time.

       This is a great example of what the Drumline can bring to you. Not only do you get to do fun stuff around the school, and with the band, but you get to meet new people and have fun experiences. Junior year was the year of lockdown, so Drumline activities were on hold. But my senior year has come around, and I have chosen to be the Drumline Captain. I’m really grateful for being given this position because it is actively teaching me how to be a better leader and a friend to all, and someone you could ask for help from. If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the Drumline, I highly encourage that you do so because it is very much worth it to make your high school experience as fun and memorable as possible.