All State Band students Erica Paris and Jennifer Redmon with Dr. Jack Delaney, Director of Bands at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
All State Band students Sean Rick and Robyn Davis with Dr. Gary Sousa, Director of Bands at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Band members accepting the plaque for all superior ratings are (front): Robyn Davis, Jennifer Redmon, Erica Paris, and Sean Rick; (middle): Sam Hadden, Chris Simmons, Brandon Madaris, Ty Gamble, Lucy Massey, and Dustin Blewer; (back): Andy Owens, Adam Middleton, Eric Raby, and Codey Lemons.
Dillon Pace salutes as he receives his award from Corps Commander Randi Hester. Other Top Cadets receiving this award are Derek Jones, Jessica Bowman, and Nick Mahan.
Scholarship recipient Ashley Gregg, center, attends Cadet Officer Leadership School at the Citadel in Charleston, SC.
Ridgeland's 2008 Honor Flight are (front): Tanner Watson, Joey Cuevas, Derek Jones, Luis Izquierdo, the flight's commander, Troy McDevitt, Johnny Morgan, Blake Campbell, Kevin Brown, and Josh Anderson; (middle): Josh Bowers, Adam Wycuff, Scott Green, Ethan Jones, Hunter Brennon, and Justin Broom; (back): Nathan Quarles.
Ridgeland Four Tapped For All-State Band
Ridgeland High School's Erica Paris (clarinet), Sean Rick (bass clarinet), Jennifer Redmon (trumpet) and Robyn Davis (bassoon) competed against 2,000 eleventh and twelfth graders across Georgia for the honor of performing in the Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Band in Savannah. They prepared two etude musical studies, 12 major scales, and sight read music with only 30 seconds of study time. These senior musicians succeeded through first and second round auditions to receive spots in this year's state honor band.
GMEA selects only the best students to create two eleventh and twelfth grade bands that rehearse all weekend and perform on Saturday night at the Savannah Civic Center's Johnny Mercer Theater. This is one of the highest honors a high school band student can achieve.
"We have never before had four students to make it. I cannot tell you how proud I am of these students. The concerts were like nothing I had ever heard high school students perform before," said award-winning Ridgeland band director Robyn Wilkes.
All four have auditioned for and been offered musical scholarships from several universities.
Ridgeland Band All Superior At Festival
The Ridgeland High School Symphonic Band was the only one of the 22 competing to make straight superior ratings in the East Tennessee Band and Orchestra Association Concert Band Festival.
Ridgeland JROTC Recognizes Top Cadets
Ridgeland High School's Air Force Junior ROTC recognized four Outstanding Cadets as the best of the best in their unit. Outstanding Cadets are selected for their year-long commitment to academic achievement, exemplary community service involvement, and participation in the program as models and mentors to younger cadets.
Ridgeland Cadet Earns JROTC Scholarship
Master Sergeant Carl Gentry, instructor for Air Force Junior ROTC at Ridgeland High School, announced Cadet Ashley Gregg has received an Air Force ROTC scholarship. The Type Seven Scholarship pays full college tuition up to $9,000 per year and most lab fees plus $900 a year for books. In addition, scholarship recipients are awarded a nontaxable monthly allowance during the academic year.
"This is an extremely competitive scholarship," said Gentry. To be eligible for consideration, a student must achieve an SAT composite of 1100 for Math and Verbal or ACT composite of 24, attain a cumulative 3.0 or higher GPA, and rank in the top of their graduating class.
"The average scores of all Air Force ROTC scholarship recipients for 2007 included being ranked in the top 12% of their class, a cumulative GPA of 3.7, an SAT score of 1260 in math and verbal, or an ACT score of 27," said Gentry. In addition, based on officer potential, scholarship applicants are judged on: leadership and work experience, extracurricular activities, student interview results, questionnaire results and academic scores.
"It is a honor to receive this scholarship. I am grateful for the opportunity the Air Force has given me and I thank everyone who has helped me along the way," said Ms. Gregg.
Ridgeland JROTC Announces Honor Flight
The Ridgeland High School Air Force Junior ROTC recognized one of its outstanding classes as Honor Flight for their high academic achievement, community involvement, and participation in the JROTC program.
"These cadets have worked exceptionally hard for this honor," said Master Sergeant Carl Gentry. "I'm very proud of each of them."