Our Sahuaro Marching Band is a proud part of our Sahuaro community and has 8 very talented senior musicians who all came together to celebrate on November 1st, 2024. These students have worked very hard for years to venerate our school and all their spirit.

J Molina has been in our marching band for 3 years and has been a percussionist for 6 years. Along the way, he has learned acoustic guitar, trumpet, piano, and most recently, trombone. This year, he is the only snare drum in our band.

After high school, J plans to double major in Music Learning and Teaching and Popular Music at Arizona State University. When it is time to head to university, he plans to continue band at ASU, but he will always miss, “…doing something I love with the people I love.”

J was especially inspired by some amazing former teachers at Sahuaro, “Two people immediately come to mind, both of which no longer work at Sahuaro. Mr. Mitchell Rutherford and Mr. Jackson Schmidgall. Rutherford taught me how to rethink myself and reflect on who I am to become who I want to be, and Schmidgall was the person who inspired me to pursue music even further and push my skills to greater lengths.” And finally, one message he leaves with from our marching band is, “Practice will never make perfect but it can make progress.”

Our next senior, Vaida Knepp, has been in the marching band for 2 years and concert band for 3. She is a trumpet player in both, though she sometimes plays the euphonium on the concert stage. She doesn’t plan to continue band in college but is currently divided between Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona to study psychology and become a children’s therapist.

Her favorite part of marching band is the energy of the bus rides. Whether it’s to a football game or competition, Vaida loves how everyone just comes together and has fun on the bus. She says her biggest inspiration comes from, “…Emma (another trumpet player in band). She’s just, she’s always been there and she’s dedicated to it. And I love that she is. And she’s just amazing.” Leaving the band, Vaida has one message for future students, “Always watch the drum major.”

Gabe Guerrero, the only vibraphone player in the pit, has been in marching band for 3 years and in concert band for 2 years. After high school, Gabe plans to either get a tech degree or go into the army. If he does decide college is the way to go, he will join their band. Gabe will miss the Sahuaro band because “It was the best time of my years.”

Gabe joined the band because of his brothers, who are Sahuaro band alum. Both went on to perform in The Pride of Arizona Marching Band, and his oldest brother is now one of The Pride’s videographers. They have been his biggest inspirations to continue his love of music. Gabe’s favorite memory from the band was playing his first-ever halftime show and sharing a lot of good laughs with a lot of amazing people.

Devin Marks is the next band senior, also a person in our pit, who plays the drum set. This was his first and only year in our marching band, and he joined because he wanted to expand his knowledge of the drum set. After high school, Devin plans to get an apprenticeship to be an electrician and then go to trade school.

In band, Devin’s biggest inspiration springs from J because he has been a big help in getting to know things about band and his instrument, but also just being a cool guy. A great lesson he will take away from band is, “Definitely patience and working hard is something that I’m going to do.”

Manny Franks is another pit person, playing the base drum in our show and the stands. Manny has been in the marching band for 2 years and is very grateful for Mr. Guzman, Mr. Schmidgall, and the pit and percussion sections, specifically Drum Major Mia Payette.

Though his future is currently undecided, right now he is perfectly happy where he is. His favorite memories are from the TUSD Expo this year, getting to listen to and meet other bands, as well as performing halftime.

Venisa Sanchez-Hermosillo has been in the marching band for one year and plays the electric bass in our pit. She was encouraged to join the marching band by Mr. Guzman, and her favorite memory from band is the first time she played halftime with her new band family.

After high school, she plans to go to college and work. Sadly, she does not plan on doing music in college but will always have music in her heart. Though she doesn’t have a person in mind for band, in orchestra, Mr. Marrs, her former teacher, has been a great inspiration for her.

Elias Johnson has been in the marching band for three years and is the only tuba. He has not only played the tuba, but also the clarinet, trombone, and bugle – he’s a man of many talents. After high school, he plans to go into welding and hasn’t decided if he wants to go to college or not. His favorite thing about band is having lunch surrounded by all of his amazing friends, and the fun conversations they have over paper plates of pizza.

Our last band senior, Mia Payette, percussionist and drum major, has been in the marching band for all four years and concert band for eight years. After she graduates, she plans to play in The Pride of Arizona at the University of Arizona and major in journalism, possibly focusing on sports.

Since Mia has been in the marching band for 4 years, she’s seen all the good and the bad. Even when they didn’t have a director, the marching band was a great experience for her. Mia said, “I love everyone in band, even if like I’m annoyed at them some days, I just like the family aspect of it. It’s never going to be like this in college…Everything in high school I’m going to miss…But I think I just like to be with my band. When we’re at away games and we’re all just sitting there and watching the other bands perform…I love being a band kid, and being surrounded by like, a million band kids was so fun.”

Mia’s favorite memories from being a Cougar band member are watching the sunsets with her band at practice or during a football game, hanging out at competitions, and watching other bands with the people she loves.

No matter what instrument they play, or how many years they have known to march, these band seniors will always be very appreciated inside and outside the band room. Whether marching halftime or playing on the sidelines, these seniors have made a great legacy to leave Sahuaro with and will always be remembered by the songs they serenaded us with.