Clarke Central High School senior Asa Campbell stands on the Billy Henderson field on Nov. 8 during the senior recognition night at the CCHS football game against Buford High School. Campbell has been in the band program for his entire high school career, and, despite leaving, Campbell is proud of the improvements he has seen. “My freshman year, we went to a competition and we got dead last in just about every category except drum major. And as the years went on, we started like slowly improving up to the point where drum line was best in class,” Campbell said. “That improvement has meant a lot to me. It’s gonna be intense when it all hits us.” Photo by Luna Reichert
The Clarke Central High School marching band will potentially play their final home game halftime show of the 2019-20 school year on Nov. 22 against Wayne County High School for the second round of the Georgia High School Association AAAAA football state playoffs.
The Clarke Central High School marching band performed at the Nov. 16 Region 8 – AAAAA Championship game against Lithia Springs High School in Billy Henderson Stadium.
The upcoming Georgia High School Association AAAAA football playoffs game’s halftime show on Nov. 22 will potentially be the final homefield display by the CCHS marching band for the 2019 season if the CCHS varsity football team loses. CCHS Director of Bands Christopher Simpson believes senior members of the marching band will be impacted by the performance.
“(That might be) one of the last times that (the seniors in marching band) wear a marching band uniform for our school,” Simpson said. “It’s going to be one of those moments where it’s going to hit them.”
CCHS senior Asa Campbell has been in the CCHS band program since his freshman year, and he believes that the band has been formative in his decisions regarding his future.
“I plan on marching in college. It’s something that I’ve always enjoyed getting better at. I plan on being a music education major,” Campbell said. “I want to grow to the point where I can go to a high school one day and have my own band programs.”
Campbell believes that the CCHS band program has a promising future beyond his departure from the program.
“(The CCHS band program is) on the right track with Mr. Simpson. I think it will just keep getting better and better,” Campbell said. “And the band is growing in numbers — we have a really big freshman class this year, and I think we have another big (freshman class) coming up (next year).”
The CCHS marching band recognized the departing seniors of the band program at an after school practice on Nov. 7. Simpson will miss the marching band graduating class of 2020.
“I’m losing a lot of good leadership in this group that’s going to be very, very hard to replace,” Simpson said. “Since day one, they’ve been doing a lot of good stuff, a lot of good ideas, a lot of freshness with the senior class. I’m going to miss them, but all good things must come to an end. It’s not necessarily goodbye, just see you later.”
