This school year, 30 members of the Fighting Tiger Band are just that, family. Fifteen sets of siblings, three of which are twins, make up the 159-member band. Band Secretary, Crystal Persall says in her 10 years of working with the THS band, she has never seen anything like it.
“I sat down and counted one day, and couldn’t believe it. Nearly 20 percent of our band is made up of siblings. I thought it was so special how many kids wanted to be with their siblings in a class,” Persall shared. “During lunch I will hear siblings come in. They will eat together and afterward, grab their instruments and begin practicing with one another.”
A few of the family sets include a freshman and a senior sibling, making the experience even more memorable.
“It is really cool for us to experience our firsts and lasts together,” Amelia Lara said, as she and her classmates reminisced about the Homecoming parade and other band events.
The Fighting Tiger Band invests countless hours together during early morning marching practice, performing at football games, pep rallies, concerts, and competing in UIL competitions. The family culture is not only fostered by students with actual relatives in class, but by all of the band members.
"Band isn't just another extracurricular class for us, it's a whole different life, with a whole different family,” explains band member Maria Valdelamar.
Over the years, the band directors and staff have made it a point to focus on the fact that a band is like a family; and that is exactly what it has become.
Spend any amount of time with the Fighting Tiger Band, and you’ll see them laughing in between sets at home football games, encouraging one another on Twitter, or greeting each other with joy and enthusiasm at the beginning of each school day. These are not just classmates randomly sitting side-by-side in a band hall trying to earn a grade on their report card. These are teammates, friends, family members, all joining together to create something special - something memorable.