Acknowlegments
I would like to thank Freestyle Academy and the 2014-2015 LAHS Winter Guard for allowing me to make this book. Special thanks to Ted Ferrucci, Nolan Mori, and Joyce Luong on a great season!
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Table of Contents Acknowlegments - page 3 Table of contents - page 5 preface - page 7 introduction - page 9 chapter 1 - page 10 chapter 2 - page 20 chapter 3 - page 25 conclusion - page 33 work cited - 24
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Preface
As a child I was very anxious and shy, but when I was on stage I really came out of my shell. Being up in front of people, I was able to perform. I also enjoyed music; even before I started school I knew I wanted to play the flute. It was not my parents who pushed me to play it, but myself. With my love for performance and music, I decided to join marching band, where I was consumed by love of the self-expression and admiration for the camaraderie. The first two seasons I marched the flute, but my eyes were always drawn to the color guard. Looking back now it was inevitable that I was going to join color guard. My sophomore year I joined the new upcoming winter guard, and it was an unforgettable experience, one I wanted to share this with others. This is why I choose to do my project on the winter guard. Throughout this project, I had to balance my practice time and documentation time. I brought my camera to most practices, but it was challenging to take photos and practice at the same time. Eventually I was able to compromise with my instructors so I could get photos while still being able to practice. This project was extremely fun because I got to document the entire competition season, from start to end.
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Introduction
Unload the mat, quickly. Warm up for an hour and a half. Run the same eight counts twenty times. Do a few run throughs. Drop, catch, spin. Pack up the equipment and mat. Lift the 400 pound mat onto yours and your teammates shoulders. Fold the mat and leave for your competition site. While on the way do your hair and makeup in the car. It must be perfect, a smokey-eye with a slicked bun. No flyaway hairs. Arrive at the competition destination. Its raining, Warm up in the rain. Take the floor to the gym. Unfold the floor, set your equipment. A voice is heard over the entire gym: “The CCGC is proud to present the Los Altos High School Winter guard in their show No One Know Who We Are. Los Altos is your guard ready...You may take the floor in Scholastic Regional A Competition”. With a heart pounding and a smile on your face you leave your heart out on the floor. Will this performance be enough? Is the last question left in your head. The arts can be form of expression, relaxation or are just very passionate about what they do. But as the value of math and science go up, the value of arts programs seem to go down. Many schools are left with little to no money for their arts programs and instead most money goes to their sports, math and sciences. Parents tell kids to get straight A’s and participate in sports. But where does this leave the artsy kids? At Los Altos High School the band boosters is the way the band and orchestra program gets their funding. When instruments need repairs, when we get new instruments, or need new equipment, all of that funded through the band boosters. Many students are highly grateful to the Band Booster program for keeping the booster program running. Because of them we are able to have our marching and winter programs, many describe them as family. Students use the arts programs as an emotional outlet. In the guard, member Kathia Angel uses the what she does to take out her aggression. She also feels it helps her get away. She states that she “Definitely use this sort of a way to calm myself down, emotionally. Like forget about everything.” Research shows that in the past five years teens have scored higher on the stress scale than adults do. On a 10 point scale teens score a 5.8 in comparison to the adult 5.1 score. One in ten adults even claim that they do not experience stress (Teens More Stressed-Out Than Adults). Make More Art: The Health Benefits of Creativity states that many people with chronic illnesses and cancer find relaxation; art fills a void and helps distract them from their illness. Math and science may help a child in their child get into a good college but, the arts help a child with their emotional being.
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e t p r a 1 h C
10
The Minds of artists
and acting. The human brain
In Chicago, 10% of the teach-
consists of the right brain
ers affected by the budget
and left brain. The right
cuts were teachers who
brain is stimulated by
taught music or art. The
doing creative activities.
school system didn’t recog-
While the left brain is
nize the important effects
stimulated from math,
the arts have on all people.
science and reading. Ac-
There is stimulation to the
cording to the parenting
Be-
left brain that only comes
article Benefit of
cause
from activities such a mu-
Kids, “Kids should be ex-
schools do not recognise
sic, art,
posed to the arts as their
the importance of this, kids
cognitive skills mature so
are losing the capability to
that their right brain will be
use the full potential of their
as developed as the left, and
brain.
both hemispheres work in
Currently it is estimated
tandem, thus achieving the
that 3-5% of the school-age
full potential of the mind.�
population has a commonly
dance
Arts to
11
known learning disorder
a young right brained child
In the 21st century, the skills
called Attention Deficit Hy-
is diagnosed with ADHD
of right brained people
peractive Disorder, or ADHD. because they cannot pick
should be valued instead
The kids who are diagnosed
up classroom materials. If
of shielded by ritalin. If it
with this disorder are com-
the kid
weren’t for the creative
monly right-brained. Kids
to
were be
people in the world, there
who are right-brained are
would not have been in-
visual learners, they cannot
ventors like Edison or
learn the way a left-brained
painters like Picasso. If the
kid could. Left-brained
right-brained people of the
children are extremely
world vanished, surely
analytical and learn from
the technological advance-
facts and memorization,
giv- ments would cease to exist.
and this is how the public
en a
ball to
school teaches. This teach-
squish or another material
If someone did not have the idea to make a smartphone,
ing system leaves the right- to touch their ability to com- where would many people brained visual learners to
prehend math, reading and
be? Teens without direct
fend for themselves. Often
writing would increase.
access to their instagram
accounts and emojis. The
competi-
technology of the future
tion, between
relies upon that of a creative those eight years person. Instead of shaming
the program was not even
the creative, cherish them,
mentioned. Not until my
the future relies on that of a
freshman year, 2013, was
right-brained thinker.
there a first attempt to es-
history of the lahs
tablish the program. That
winter guard
year a large amount of the
The Los Altos High School
members from the first few
Winter Guard has been
rehearsals began to drop
officially established since
rapidly. The instructors they
2014, before that the pro-
had in 2013 could not show
gram was dormant. Before
up to all the rehearsals,
2014, the last record of the
neither could the member.
LAHS winter guard being
There were also only two
a program was in 2007.
truly dedicated members. In
The guard placed 3rd at that
the end, the program’s bud-
get did not go through. The program officially restarted the next year, in 2014. The instructors for that season were Joseph Noel Gabrintina and Camille Cornejo. The beginning of the season was hard; we had no practice space for the first few months and a handful of new members. We consistently placed fifth
14
or sixth for a few weeks.
Circuit, finals competition.
petitor. Throughout the sea-
Despite the lower rank-
That day we left our hearts
son we had not been able to
ings, we continued to work
out on the floor, we did the
pull out a higher score than
hard. With work ethic that
best we could and could not
them. That day we placed
strived for perfection, the
have done any better. That
third, we had felt we finally
week before final competi-
day we all stood out on the
proved ourselves. The guard
tion we placed second. In a
gym floor during the award that had not been existent
final push, we worked hard
ceremony. They called one
for eight years has placed
our last week to the CCGC,
guard group after another,
third place, not only that but
or California Color Guard
then called our highest com- also proved it to ourselves
that we could that. In 2014,
how lucky we were to have
the guard consisted of:
a group of students like you.
Kathia Angel, Dasom Chung, You have created a new Guadalupe Garcia, Isabel
standard of excellence and
Guerrero-Lubarsky, Amber work ethic for future Los Huang, Will Howard, Clara
Altos marching bands
Ramirez, Ann Suzuki, Sa-
and color guards. I expect
mantha Whitfield, Jennifer
that you will all be as re-
White, and Grace Zhang.
spectful to the new instruc-
During the 2015 season un-
tor as you were with me.
fortunately we lost both our Take what you have learned wonderful instructors, Noel
this past year and keep
and Camille. To whom we
learning more. Take pride in
are forever grateful for. Noel what you’ve accomplished left for school, but before
this past year. Because I
he left he told us this “After
am so proud of all of you!
winter guard rehearsals I
The Los Altos color guard
would always tell Camille
will always have a special
place my
in heart.”
Noel and Camille helped establish a new work ethic, but also a new history to the winter guard. No longer is the guard something that withered away in 2007. It is now a growing program 15
thriving on hard work and
Nolan is currently attending when we don’t understand
excellence.
UC Berkeley and excelled in
those corrections. Joyce also
The current lahs
academics. Joyce is also a
excelles in academic, last fall
guard Although we had lost Noel
addi-
and Camille, we also
tion
gained two new out-
to
she took exams to become a lawyer. Currently Joyce is a senior at UC Santa Cruz. In order to be a strong
standing instructors,
guard, the guard needs to
Nolan Mori and Joyce
have good work ethic, ability
Luong. Both have
to take instructions and/or
done a great job help-
corrections, and an instruc-
ing our program grow along with growing our knowledge on what this color guard thing is.. Nolan
16
wonderful
the LAHS guard staff. This past season Joyce
tor whom had a wide range of knowledge on how to spin equipment. Nolan has given us exercises to chal-
not only is a phenomenal in- has given everyone very
lenge us, since then we have
structor, but also has exten-
constructive corrections,
developed a wider range
sive knowledge of science.
and is also willing to help us of knowledge. This season
one important skill that all
terview with Kathia Angel
in the outside world how
members will take away is
she talks of how the social
are you going to move on in
attention to detail. An activ-
aspect of it is important,
life. Winter guard teaches
ity like guard teaches stu-
“Its taught me how to be
us new things and not just
dents skills that will be relevant when the
in the different
Its taught me how to be more of a community,like the social aspect of it.That’s good for the outside world because if you’re not social in the outside world how are you going to move on in life.Winter guard teaches us new things and not just in the different exercises and different work,it also teaches us about life. ”
stu-
exercises and different work, it also teaches us about life.” Everyday the guard rehersal one we learn somthing new, and this helps us develop
dent becomes an adult.
more of a community, like
Team work, and the social
the social aspect of it. That’s
aspect will help students
good for the outside world
in their adult life. In an in-
because if you’re not social
as a member and a person.
17
I I r e t h a p C
20
The Sport of the Arts
line. There we work to per-
There was much contro-
In my interview with
fect the beginning of the
versy over this in the LAHS
Kathia, on several occasions
show. After we run either
school district. The Physical
she referred to this activity
the dance feature or do rifle
Education department spoke
as a “sport”. Winter Guard
basics. When one gets into
up about this saying that it
International has dubbed
international level, Winter
was not education, but just
this activity “The Sport of
Guard International (WGI),
movement. Carole Stepp
the Arts”, due to it falling
things become more in-
contradicted this statement
between the sports and the
tense. One sees skills that of
saying, ““There are a lot of
arts category. On the week
a performer and dancer. The people who are not athletic,
of a competition it usually
performer does not show
who come to marching
totals to 23.5 hours of prac-
languish, instead they bring
band and become athletic,”.
tice that week. A practice
you into the world of their
This was the case for Clara
begins with a workout, then show.
Ramirez, winter guard
goes to center floor, after we The 2014 year is the first
member. In my interview
go across the floor, next we
year that being a member
with Kathia Angel she talks
do flag basics, then break
of the LAHS marching pro-
of her friend Clara Ramirez,
off into flag line and sabre
gram has gotten P.E. credits.
who was asked by her
mother to join some kind of
and if you make a mistake
a victory, and has a set of
physical activity. She heard
it only affects you. If one
rules thats needed to be fol-
of winter guard and joined.
person in the band makes a
lowed. Through this a family
Since then, Clara has be-
mistake it affects the whole
is formed.
come a dedicated member
team. If one
and also increasingly active.
person is
The marching activities are
out of step,
a sport just as any other
plays a
athletic activity is a sport. It
wrong note,
combines physical stamina
spins a flag
and performance. A story
he wrong
that was once told to the
way, the en-
LAHS band was that re-
tire score is
garding a football team.
affected. The
Members of the football
band works
team were mocking the
together for
band, the coach told them:
the same
You guys play as individuals end goal, 21
The Level of intrest in the lahs guard
baritone. To add onto this,
thinks the school knows
most of LAHS does not even
what winter guard is she
At the beginning of the win- know what their winter
says “Oh no, no one knows
ter seasons for the last three guard is or what it does. In
about us we are like a se-
years we held workshops,
my interview with Kathia
cret society...No, the school
every year those work-
Angel she states “I actually
doesn’t really know about
shops started with around
had no idea what this [win-
this about us they only
fifteen potential members.
ter guard] was before my
mentioned us once
The first year ended with
friend Clara told me” and
in the an-
eight members each having to leave for different reasons.The first year there was a full season
“I actually had no idea what this [winter guard] was before my friend Clara told me”
ended with eleven members. In 2015 there were twelve members. All the
later when
members marched guard
asked if
except one, who marched
she
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nouncements‌�
Grace Gao, Isabel Guerrero-
As the guard continues to
Lubarsky, Amber Huang,
grow and get accumulate
Everette Henri, Will How-
new members, we hope the ard, Clara Ramirez, Chelsea guard program thrive.
Santos. Ann Suzuki, Jennifer
The 2015 guard consisted of:
White, and Grace Zhang.
Kathia Angel, Edgar Aquino,
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Ch
I I I apter
Band Boosters
pencil per student. Since
At LAHS the arts program
the programs run
is funded and relies on the
on donation, if not
Band Boosters and other
enough is made
such donations, as many
then necessities for
arts organizations do. The
arts programs are
art program at LAHS re-
not met. While our art
ceives enough money to
department relies upon
buy one
student donation, the music department relies on the donations to
grams. When I posed the hypothetical question to
the band boosters.
marching band and wind
The money in the
ensemble member, Karen
band boosters
Zellers “What would hap-
program is dis-
pen if our band booster pro-
tributed accord-
gram was disposed of?� she
ingly to all the band and orchestra pro- 26
responded saying that the programs would crumble.
LAHS is fortunate to have the booster programs, but
done
without these programs the the would cease to exist. In San
same show
Jose an article came out say- a few years ago. ing that the Ballet of San Jose The demands were to is in need of $550,000 in or- change the song, but it was der to “avoid its folding�. The
not possible because it was
debt is due to it being left by
the middle of the marching
previous owners and un-
band season and it would
paid bills of previous shows. result in probably having The marching band at Los
to pull out of the season. A
Altos had a similar event, it
large amount of work and
was being sued due to us-
effort goes into making a
ing a copyrighted song. They show, guard and marching did not realize that this song
band alike.
was copyrighted because
Funding in the arts
another marching band had The arts programs have
reached a breach that they receive their funding. Many schools have cut off their arts programs. In the public school system, many arts programs in the schools have to fund themselves independently. At LAHS we have the Band 27
Boosters for our instrumen- tems have supporting the
brand new set of high tech
tal department. Often the
arts programs less and less.
microscopes, not acces-
choir department does fun-
The science department re-
sible by every school in the
draiser in order to get their
ceives new thing each year,
U.S. The arts department
music and clothes for con-
last year they received a
is favored less than that of
certs. Our advanced choir, Main Street does fundraisers to earn their
due to the reason that the arts are seen
money. The art de-
as lesser of the
partment receives
sciences and
$1.87 per student, that’s not enough to en buy a pencil. Students have to make a $100purchase a pencil. Students have to make a $100 deposit. The school sys28
the math or science simply
maths.
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with detailed synopsis of competition days. The last couple of years the fathers have constructed the large props used in shows, including the ones
Band Moms: Thank You Its been said time and time again that the band parents are the reason for the success of the competing ensembles of LAHS. During competitions, the moms make and buy the food, they also do our hair, they maintain our uniforms in proper condition, and provide us 30
they made for our winter show. The band parents are the ones working behind the scenes to make our show shine. During competition, the ones cheering the loudest in the stands are the band parents. They are the reason that our groups have a high standard of excellence.
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The LAHS guard and winter guard has seen an increase in membership and interest since last season. The LAHS winterguard performed in the diversity assembly in 2014, fuling a jump in the participation this past year. During the field season we had a guard of nineteen and the winter season we have a guard of twelve. With the wavering member participation I cannot be sure what exactly is in the future for the LAHS guard, but I do know that it is a group that will continue to strive for excellence and perfection. The guard is a family and sanctuary for many, and is made up of a group of friends who continue to push each other to be the best they can be. This season the guard placed first at their first competition. After, they stayed under the radar for a month while making changes and perfecting their show. Their next competition they placed 4th place. They worked hard and made changes to their show, the week after they placed 3rd place, with a sub-score of 1st in equipment. At the final competition the LAHS Winter Guard placed 3rd place out of 11 guards. The guard got second in equipment, movement, design analysis, and general effect 2. The final score was an 80.06 with a 0.10 time penalty. Congratulations to the LAHS guard on a successful season.
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Works Cited Aleccia, Jonel. “Teens More Stressed-Out Than Adults, Survey Shows.” NBC News. N.p., 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. “Benefit of Arts to Kids.” Raise Smart Kid. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2015. Cohen, Patricia. “A New Survey Finds a Drop in Arts Attendance.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2015. Fang, Marina. “Public Schools Slash Arts Education And Turn To Private Funding.” ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., 05 Aug. 2013. Web. 01 Mar. 2015. Heymont, George. “More Funding for School Arts Programs, Less for Sports.” The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post 11 Oct. 2010. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. Musiker, Cy. “Ballet San Jose Says It Needs a Quick $550,000 to Avoid Folding.” KQED News. N.p., 6 Mar. 2015. Web. 20 Mar. 2015. Mehl-Madona, Lewis. “Attention-Deficit Hyperactivi ty Disorder (ADHD) in Children:Theories About the Causes of ADHD, Diagnosis, and Alternative Treatments for ADHD/ADD.” N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2015. “Survey of Public Participation in the Arts.” National Endowment for the Arts. N.p., 26 Sept. 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2015. Veronin, Nick. “P.E. Credit for Marching Band?” Mountain View Voice. N.p., 16 May 2013. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. 34
Author Bio Isabel Guerrero-Lubarsky is a junior attending Los Altos High School and Freestyle Academy. She lives in Mountain View, California with her mom, sister and cat. Isabel enjoys theatre, color guard and playing the flute. She is currently involved in the winter guard at Los Altos. In the future she hopes to do drum corps.
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