By Caleigh McDougal
The Timber Creek Regiment has been a family since 2001. A variety of students have walked into the band room doors. Over the years, one thing has always stayed constant: the friends you make. Senior Ethan Chestnut stated, “The Timber Creek regiment is unique because it has a rare blend of talents and abilities. All of the members work together in harmony despite being so different. With such a huge group of people, getting individuals to make something together is so difficult in an increasingly separated and digitized world. The regiment is a safe space, a family for those from all walks of life.”
With such a large group of young people, enforcing rules regularly is important. Therefore, every student can apply for leadership positions after their freshman year. Junior Kaitlyn Saidat mentioned, “I wanted to be a drum major because I’d have the opportunity to interact with more people, make new friends, be an example for the band, and help others when needed.” Similarly, Chestnut said, “I wanted to be captain because I wanted the opportunity to learn leadership of my peers, a valuable skill for anyone going into a professional career.”
The 2023 marching season was full of fun memories for the students and directors. The Regiment won state championships and beat several grand national finalist bands at Bands of America Orlando, and beat the Timber Creek. They also announced that in the 2024 season, they will be attending Grand Nationals in Indianapolis, IN.
Most importantly in high school, you have to find a group you belong to. The transition from grade to grade can be scary but when you have friends in your corner it makes the adventure more fun than scary. Chestnut noted, “I think the ability of the regiment to change people’s work ethic and attitude towards life even if they don’t pursue music is a really cool thing that no other program I can name can do. The discipline and toughness of marching band member comes from all members, regardless of their demographic.
Let’s get the show started. In this photograph, Kaitlyn Saidat is starting to conduct the beginning of the show. This is a Timber Creek home game during halftime. The band is all set up on the field ready to give the community a show to remember. 11th-grade Saidat said, “Being on the podium in front of an audience feels a little bit scary, but it also feels rewarding because all of the hard work the band has put in is showing.” Photo by Pepe Atalah