IT’S SO IMPORTANT FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN THEMSELVES.
Something that gets them engaged in the high school experience, whether it’s sport, the arts or clubs. It’s a place where the can fit in and have an identity.
For Willis super-student Amy Garcia, it was the Willis Wildkat band.
“I moved from Pasadena, Texas before my freshman year,” she said. “It was a tough move because I was not going to be able to experience high school with my childhood friends.
“I was kind of lost and didn’t want to join the band here, but the directors really influenced my decision. It’s a story that can shared with others. I found a family in the band and it really helped me find my place at Willis. They were so kind to me, and it was really easy to make friends.”
Since then, Garcia has flourished and now finds herself as a Drum Major entering her senior year.
“I just love playing music with my friends,” she said. “I started in the fifth grade when my elementary music teacher put a flute in my hands and look at me now. I’ve learned to play the alto sax, bari sax and piccolo, but more importantly, I learned to work and lead people. It’s a great life skill.”
While she is locked in to perfecting the Wildkat band performances throughout the fall, Garcia winds down by hanging with her family and listening to music.
“I love to listen to hard rock,” she laughed. “I know that may seem weird, but I really want to learn to play the drums. I love to spend time with my friends and family... they are my happy place. They just soothe me.”
Garcia excels in the arts, but she also dominates in the classroom, where she is in the Top 10 percent of her class.
“I won’t be pursuing music as a career, but I believe it has helped me so much as a student,” she said. “I’m wanting to pursue aerospace engineering at Texas A&M or an Ivy League school.”
That’s a long way from being a scared freshman, entering the halls of Willis High School just three short years ago.