They march in parades and perform at special events throughout the year, but for the hundreds of instrumentalists, color guard members and majorettes in local high school marching bands, the fall field show is the apex. It’s time to show they have what it takes. It’s time to make their schools proud. Throughout the fall, we’ll profile these dedicated, multi-talented students and their shows in “Strike Up the Bands.”
JASON FARMER / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER North Pocono drum majors Kathryn Purcell and Ryan Schield
North Pocono High School Trojans
Show: “Green Day,” arranged by Tom Wallace and Jay Dawson
Songs: ”Bang Bang,” “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” “Holiday” and “Still Breathing”
Student leaders: Kathryn Purcell and Ryan Schield, drum majors; Meghan Murray, Miss Trojan; and Allie Taffera, featured twirler
Faculty and staff: Janelle Decker, band director; Rachel Galassi, assistant band director; Michele DelPrete, marching units adviser; Raymond Stedenfeld, Tom Hamilton and Steve Kurilla, summer music advisers; David Cooper, drill writer; Amber Borys, majorette choreographer; and Lisa Pentz, color guard choreographer
Sum it up: “The North Pocono Trojan Band and Marching Units are comprised of over 100 members this marching season. We are very excited to welcome over 25 new members to our ensemble as well as welcome back members in their second, third and fourth years of marching band. The students have been working extremely hard and have already clocked 40 hours of rehearsal in order to meet the demands of this challenging show. The Green Day show is sure to be a total crowd pleaser with these musical arrangements, drill and choreography that capture the elements of energy, intensity, contrast and emotion.” — Janelle Decker
JASON FARMER / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER North Pocono’s Olivia Delfino in the color guard
Weekend performances
Catch high school marching bands in action at these football games:
Friday, Aug. 30
- Dunmore at Mid Valley
- Carbondale Area at Riverside
- Susquehanna at Lackawanna Trail
- Abington Heights at Valley View
- Delaware Valley at West Scranton
- Western Wayne at North Pocono
- Wallenpaupack Area at Honesdale
- Scranton at Wilkes-Barre Area
- Lakeland at Lake-Lehman
- Hanover Area at Old Forge
Saturday, Aug. 31
- Wyoming Area at Scranton Prep
JASON FARMER / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER North Pocono’s Connor Richards on the quints
Caitlin Heaney West is the content editor for Access NEPA and oversees the Early Access blog in addition to working as a copy editor and staff writer for The Times-Tribune. An award-winning journalist, she is a summa cum laude graduate of Shippensburg University and also earned a master’s degree from Marywood University. Caitlin joined the Times-Shamrock family in 2009 and lives in Scranton. Contact: cwest@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5107; or @cheaneywest
