The official Publication of the Theta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi
Volume V, Issue I
Publishing Chair: Amy Hodges
THE ORANGE BATON
FI RS T
H O ME
G A ME
FALL 2014
I joined the Oregon State Marching Band last year as a transfer student. Having never marched before, all of the concepts were brand
TIM CHASE THETA CLASS
new. I was pretty overwhelmed by the pace of what we were learning. When I started to grasp forward marching, backward marching was thrown at me. Once I had that down (let’s be
honest, I’m still getting it down), slides were introduced. There was always something new. Once I managed to get my head above water, it was pushed back under. Rather than being discouraged, I loved the vigor and focus marching required. We had one full week of band camp before our first game day experience. This year, we didn’t have the luxury of a full week. In fact, we had one day of band camp before our first football game. As a returning member, it was a sudden change of pace, and I can only imagine how much of a whirlwind it must have been for all our new members. I have to say that I was proud of the Tenor Sax Section for giving the game all of their zeal. It was a day of challenges, which were all increased sevenfold by the insane heat of that day. Everyone demonstrated great flexibility.
Our new members were tested by It was good to get on the other side of our first game day and be able to tell them, “By the way, that was the hardest thing we’ll have to do all season.” As the marching band, it’s our job to be an energetic and spirited presence at as many athletic
events and pep rallies as we can, even when that event is on the second day of camp. I’m proud of our band, my section, and our leaders for how everyone pulled it together so quickly. This was my first football game since I joined Kappa Kappa Psi. For me, the greatest treat of the day was singing our hymn at the end of the game. I wasn’t even aware that we did that. It was such a perfect ending to an arduous, exciting, and exhausting game day, reminding me why I love what I do, and why it’s worth spending my energies on.
2014 OSUMB Tenor Saxophone Section
fire, and they proved themselves.
DEAR BROTHERS,
This year, I have gone through some less-than-ideal adventures. I have had several potentially life threatening medical conditions, a phase of chronic pain, and supported friends through serious depressive phases. Through these events, I have still been surrounded by some of the best people I have the honor to know, and they have supported me even when I know I wasn't at my most pleasant. I have never felt alone, or like I even needed to reach out, because someone was
Sage Gustafson
already there for me, and that someone was nearly always a brother of Theta Chapter. So now, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank everyone in this chapter for all that you do. You may not know it, but you have made a difference in a life. You have been a role model to someone in band, or a friend to someone you didn't know was struggling. Your laughter has turned someone's day around, and your welcoming camaraderie has made a difficult week a little better. So thank you, for all that you have done, and all that you have yet to do. I'm honored to be a part of such a wonderful brotherhood. MILTB, Sage Gustafson Eta Class
First Degree at Mu Pi
Jessica Lien
Jahne, Ethan Schwanz, Geoff Bishop,
Sarah Massey, Jamie Gregory, Don
Dinner with Mu Pi brothers at
Red Robin
Well, it’s that time of the year again. Marching Band and college football is in mid to late season and is starting to wind down (or perhaps wind up for a bowl game), concert Jamie Gregory bands and ensembles are gearing up for their fall concerts, and Eta Class chapters are starting to recruit and put members through degrees! It’s one of my favorite times of the year. I had the pleasure and opportunity to attend Mu Pi’s First Degree last night at the University of Oregon. This was either my second or third time going down to their first degree! Our chapter is so fortunate to have another chapter so close to home – only 45 minutes away! It was a blast getting to see old friends and faces as well as meet many new chapter members and their new prospective members. It’s a great experience for newer active members to participate in other chapters’ degrees to really see what they are all about. For me, I always learn something new at every degree I attend or participate in. There is also the experience of photo taking and going out to Red Robin with the whole chapter and the PM’s! If you haven’t gotten to hang out with the Mu Pi chapter, then you are missing out. They are a great bunch of people and a totally rad chapter. I’m really looking forward to going to Mu Pi’s second and third degrees, and I hope that some people from the their chapter will be able to come up to our degrees!
FULL CIRCLE Amy Hodges-Theta Class I grew up in a small town called Niwot, Colorado. When I moved to Oregon, I felt like I was starting over entirely. Coming from out of state, I learned about the things we take for granted: seeing your parents more than once or twice a year, visiting places that bring back memories, being around people you’ve known for years, watching the people you grew up with succeed, and friends and family coming to watch you succeed. This year, when the Oregon State University Marching Band took a pep band to the football game versus the University of Colorado, I got to go full circle and experience some of those things, and it was an incredibly special experience for me. Niwot is very close to Boulder, so I spent a lot of time around the city. My senior prom was at the club
level of Folsom Field. Every year, my high school marching band participated in an event called CU Band Day, where bands could perform their shows for an audience of other bands from around the state, and receive comments and scores from judges. (Ironically, while I was in the Niwot High School Marching Band, Dr. Dana
Biggs was one of the judges!) I know that this sounds like a normal weekend here in Oregon, where many of the high school bands compete, but my band was not a competitive band, and this event was the only time we
ever received any critique. CU Band Day was our only big performance. Coming back as a member of the OSU Marching Band was very special to me, and it made me really able to appreciate how far I have come since I last performed in Folsom Field. Another thing that made this trip incredibly special to me was that my parents and close family friends bought tickets to the game. Something that many people take for granted is being able to perform for
their loved ones. This is my third year here, and it was the first time my mom has been able to see me perform at the collegiate level, and it was only the
Amy Hodges with her parents, Cheryl and Chuck
second time for my dad. That’s a big change from them being at every single spots game, pep rally, musical, parade, and concert that I played at in high school. Everything about the trip to Boulder was amazing, but the best part was that I got to see my best
friend march sousaphone in the University of Colorado “Golden Buffalo” Marching Band. This person has been my best friend since my junior year of high school, when he entered the Niwot High School Marching Band as a freshman. I taught him how to play the tuba and how to march, and I have been his mentor in every aspect of his life, from music to girls to school to choosing the right major and university. He followed in my footsteps to be a music major, and he accredits me as his inspiration to become a music teacher. He is like my little
brother and when I saw him step onto the field for their pregame show, I was glad to be wearing sunglasses, because I started bawling. Being able to see him perform made me feel so proud of him and gave me the best
“mamma bear” feeling I’ve ever had.
T H E TA C H A P T E R FA L L R E T R E AT
KKPsi Theta Retreat-Sparkly Sand Sage Gustafson Eta Class
On this year’s annual Kappa Kappa Psi retreat, some of the members had a seemingly magical experience on the beach. Each night, I at least, went out with the hopes of seeing the Northern Lights, and each night, Geoff Bishop, Jessica Lien, Alex Bird, Sage Gustafson, Amy Hodges
I came away without a glimpse. However, the sand under our feet
soon became much more enthralling than anything we could see in the sky. There was a
twinkling, glowing green light coming from some parts of the sand! Each person has a different theory on what caused the sparkling sand. Sarah Massey says that they were
aliens. I was pretty certain that it was bioluminescence. Whatever the cause, I can be sure that running around, kicking up sand, and jumping in pools of water like crazy people in the middle of the night with my
brothers is an experience that I wouldn't anything, and will remember for a long time to come.
Stephen Ngyuen, Amy Hodges, Sage Gustafson
trade for
#kkpsity14
We l c o m e ,
PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS OF IOTA CLASS!
Prospective members of Itoa Class: (From left to right) Back: Gordon Truong, Frank Sefton, Colton Brooks, Jedd Courage, David Schroth, Sam Nicacio, David Neill, Jade Hails, Kade Gerlach, Nicole Uguilini, Sarah Moore Front: Taylor Steffens, Miranda Raw, Christine Daquinag, Jacqueline Portillo, Nathaniel Patlovich, Mary Marshall, Shannon Webb, Henry Sykes, Kevin Rooney Not pictured: Savannah Van Why
Iota class prospective members by the numbers...