Rehearsing in the cafeteria, six members of the Lake-Lehman Color Guard follow their coach’s count, carefully tossing flags just high enough to spin without knocking into the lights hanging from the ceiling.
They tossed bright orange flags and flags with a smokey, black and white pattern, all while following the choreography. It’s to prepare for the first performing arts competition Lake-Lehman has hosted in 17 years. In fact, the color guard and the marching band will compete against 30 other schools.
“We don’t have to drive two hours away,” color guard member Rylee McGuire said. “They get to come to us.”
Becki Brandenburg is the secretary for the Lake-Lehman Band Sponsors. She said Lake-Lehman has an active band program - 90 students participate across marching band, indoor percussion, concert band and color guard.
“That’s about 10 percent of our school,” she said.
Performing arts programs throughout the state like Lake-Lehman’s bands have been working to rebuild since losing participation during the pandemic.
Alison Simon is the president of Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 9, which covers Lake-Lehman. The ability to hold a competition shows the school is on its way to rebuilding, she said.
“Many ensembles and schools suffered during COVID with numbers because we are a group that generally needs to meet in person,” she said. “This tells me that their program is definitely strong, and they have a drive to do something…above what they would normally do.”
Brian Bacon, the Winter Guard coordinator, says the COVID participation decline affected all after-school activities, but every year a new, motivated group joins color guard.
“We always get a group that wants to work and wants to be the best they can,” he said.
That’s part of why Amelia Brown wanted to join. She said where some activities might put you on a bench, color guard gives everyone a chance to shine and improve together.
“It just makes me so happy to do something and make it for myself,” she said. “They don’t care how good or bad you are…it just makes you feel so special about yourself.”
Surrounded by her teammates, Rylee said she keeps coming back to color guard for them.
“You just kind of just feel like a family. You know, you guys feel like a family,” she said. “And it’s fun and different, it’s something that you wouldn’t expect someone to do.”
The Lake-Lehman Performing Arts Showcase is Saturday, March 23 at 1 p.m. at Lake-Lehman High School.
