Keystone Heights Junior-Senior High School student Reagan Sames was awarded the Clay County All-State High School Honor Band.
During the February Clay County School Board meeting, Reagan Sames was recognized as one of several students selected for the All-State Honor Band for tuba, chosen from a pool of 80 students across Florida.
To be nominated, students must demonstrate excellent skill levels in playing, including proficiency in the basic 12 major scales, as well as overall instrument mastery. They are also expected to go above and beyond in their musical abilities.
The process for selection into the high school honor band involves a recommendation from the band director. As part of this recommendation, evaluators consider how many scales the student can play, whether they can play them in one octave or across two or even three octaves, and their exceptionalism towards the music instrument of their choice.
“We currently offer junior high chorus, junior high beginning band, and junior high beginning guitar. We also have junior high junior varsity guard, and we have the other fine arts as well. So that progresses through different tracks, so if a student really likes music, they have several different options, and several different tracks,” said Justin Hayward-Coker, Music teacher at Keystone Heights Junior-Senior High School.
“We try to give back to the community and the students as well, with many different events such as our Keystone Heights Christmas parade, Melrose Christmas parade, and Green Cove Springs parades. We have football games, and then we have our Competitions. We even competed at Orange Park High School’s competition and Fleming Island’s Golden Eagle Classic.”
“That’s the kind of opportunities I make sure are always available to them so they can excel in their musicianship and learn to become better leaders, not just in music but in general. They’re able to transfer those elements that we learned here in high school to the community,” he continued.
Reagan has been a member of the band since seventh grade. She has played the trumpet for six years and the tuba for about three years. Currently, she serves as the band’s drum major.
“I love being in the band because it just gives me so many opportunities. It makes me go out of my comfort zone, playing in front of people. I’ve talked to new people, and it gives me a lot of leadership positions, and it gives me a lot of experience,” said Reagan Sames, Band leader at Keystone Heights Junior-Senior High School.
“The award really gives you an extra nudge forward towards any community bands or university bands that you want to go into. It really just shows your level of expertise and skills that you have,” she continued.
Reagan, a senior, is interested in majoring in biology or nursing to attend medical school to pursue a doctorate in anesthesiology. In addition to her studies, she wishes to participate in the band at Santa Fe College.
“She did a really great job. She was actually accepted into the nine-star honor band, which is held by the Florida Bandmasters Association, and I had recommended her for it because of her exceptional dedication, commitment, and musicianship, as she provided multiple examples of this during her seventh and eighth grades. It’s just an exceptional musician all around, and I was very happy for her,” said Mr. Coker.
For her summer plans, she aims to spend time with friends and family before heading to college.
“Don’t quit. I know there are a lot of challenges, and it just seems so easy to take the easy way out and quit, but I promise you, if you put enough grit, care, and work into things, there is a hidden gem underneath everything. You will get what you want, become proficient, and, as everyone says, pressure creates diamonds. Work really hard for that diamond,” she concluded.
