Blog post by Jonel Rey, Class of 2024

As a junior at Chaffey High School and I can safely say high school was the place where I discovered my love and passion for marching band and drumline in general.

Being introduced to the high school drum instructor and band director was one of the most significant events that happened to me that I didn’t appreciate at the time. In the past, I was lazy and enjoyed staying home; the pandemic only reinforced those feelings. I refused to take the opportunity to socialize with the people I would soon call friends and chose to do online practices instead of returning in person. Finally, the summer before the start of my sophomore year, I came to my first in-person rehearsal for band camp and it ended up impacting me with many fun experiences and memories that made me stay in the program. As I practiced and improved my music comprehension and playing abilities, I came to realize that I was growing as well.

Through the marching seasons (which involves all of the marching band usually from summer-winter) and drumline seasons (which only involves people in drumline from winter until summer) and school events like football games and rallies, my confidence built and leadership and socializing experience reached a level I would have never dreamed of. I eventually befriended many people in the program and even found a special someone who’s a bit more than a friend. Having the chance to travel and compete at different high schools around the state, host competitions at Chaffey, and even get the chance to compete in finals at the Toyota Arena.

Having a chance to be a part of the marching band and drumline has impacted me greatly as I now feel more connected to Chaffey. The program has been nothing but fun and will continue to be an enjoyable experience until I graduate. Here are some pictures from my years in the program.