The past month was HUGE for the NPHS Performing Arts! Show Choir went to State.. Winter Percussion went to State.. Winter Guard went to State AND WGI.. HECK, in this school year, the Marching Band also went to State! It doesn't get much better than that.

When we look at 2021-22, I hope the echoing word is simply "WOW!".

THANK YOU to everyone that made it possible - and CONGRATULATIONS to all the students that turned our hopes and visions into an amazing reality.

In this edition:

• Spring Concessions
• Band Board Elections
• IMS Gift Shop is Coming
  
• Band Trip to Disney
  
• 2021-22 Performing Arts Summary
• Unpaid Dues
• Laundry & Dish Detergent Order Form
• JOKE!
• New Palestine Poem
  

npbbliaison@gmail.com

We need all our parents (yes - all of them) to look at the Sign Up Genius link below and volunteer some time to help our program. All of the profits that come from these events goes straight to the Band Program to help pay for all the awesome stuff we do, and all the awesome stuff we still need to buy to continue to grow. Each shift worked results in your Student Account receiving a credit, as well.

There are 40 events that require volunteers

If every family found a couple events they could help with, it would be an enormous help. A few families have been burning the candle at both ends to keep our concessions afloat. Eventually that candle will burn out.

We need your help. (and it really is a fun time!)

Please.. help us help your kids.

Working along side Mr. Carney, the New Palestine Band Boosters help shape the direction of the entire Band, Guard, and Percussion programs. Each year elections are held for all the seats on the board.

On April 25th - at 6:30pm, the elections for the coming year will be held.

There is still time to throw your name into the hat to join the motor that helps guide our program!

For more information about how to run for a board seat, please contact Julie Marino.

It's almost that time of the year again!

Those of you that have worked the gift shop know how much fun it is. Your chance to get first dibs on the days that work for you are just around the corner.

Huge shift credits for student accounts.

Profit sharing for your hard work and salesmanship.

Bonding with fellow band families before the start of the season.

The sound of race cars thundering through the stands... it's simply magic. (well, I think it's magic)

New Palestine Bands gets to run the largest store (besides the museum) - and it's air conditioned!

Keep your eyes peeled for the sign up link and for more information about this years IMS Gift Shop needs.

New Pal invaded the land of Mickey! Roughly 55 students and chaperones from the band programs traveled to Orlando, FL during the second week of spring break. The group able to visit Hollywood Studios - Animal Kingdom - Magic Kingdom - as well as Universal Studios!

The students also participated in a sight-reading and recording studio session backstage at EPCOT. The session was led by a Disney performing artist and students were able to learn about the process of recording studio work, the work ethic of professional musicians, and how music tracks are laid down with Disney Pixar feature movies. Students were able to record a roughly 45 second clip from the movie Moana during their session!

Super cool!

As mentioned in the opening paragraph, this school year has been absolutely fantastic for the New Palestine Performing Arts. I would be very interested to know if what our kids have done has ever been done before. But, alas, I'm just a lowly parent.. and don't have access to all the history books to research.

Marching Band - State Qualifier

Show Choir - State Qualifier

Indoor Percussion - State Qualifier

Winter Guard - State Qualifier

New Palestine High School, with a total enrollment of just over 1,100 students, proved we can hold own with the likes of schools that are 2x.. 3x.. and even 4x our size.

In addition to all the State achievements, our Varsity Color Guard qualified for an event called WGI -or- Winter Guard International. For those that are not familiar with WGI, it is the NFL.. the NBA... the Major League of Color Guard. There is not a higher division in the country (maybe the world!?). They went up against units from across the United States - Florida, Texas, Virginia, Missouri, California and several other States. Qualifying to attend is difficult. Advancing to Semi-Finals is a tremendous achievement - and that is exactly what the NPHS Color Guard did in their class. Out of 96 color guards from across the USA, New Palestine High School was ranked 35th after Prelims and advanced to the WGI Semi-Finals. That is where their journey ended, as only the top 20 from Semis advance to Finals. To Indiana's credit, we were represented by Brownsburg HS and Noblesville HS in the final round. The excellent flag work of our neighbors to the West earned Brownsburg HS 2nd place in the finals. We were proud to be in the company of such wonderful and talented guards. It was an experience our performers will not soon forget!

The accomplishments of the 2021-22 school year is a credit to our kids, our parents, and our teachers and staff. However we cannot fail to mention that that these achievements would be possible without the support of our programs by the Community School Corporation of Southern Hancock County. Thank you to Dr. Lantrip, and Mr. Yoder for paving the road for these accomplishments to be a reality. We hope we make you as proud as we are to represent our community!

New Palestine is a great place to be!

If you made it down this far, you are one of our hardy readers. Thank you for lending us your eyes. I thought it would be cool to share a poem that appeared in each hotel room of our Color Guard while they were in Ohio for WGI. I swiped a copy of it. It says it was written by "a former member of the performing arts". Even though it was given to the guard, it may be universal. Anywho... here ya go!

Our Hearts are on Fire, Our Minds are on Ice

We walk out together, prepared for the price

The price is every ounce we can possibly give

Each chance to perform, it’s how we all live

The Fire in our heart forges passion and power

It pushes us daily towards the top of the tower

The Ice in our mind freezes all nerves and doubt

So get ready. Get set. Now let the Fire come out!

The performance has started, our dice have been cast

This story being written will soon be our past

Breathe in the fuel needed to feed our one flame

Exhale icy confidence, there’s a tower to claim!

We are each our own Dragon, but together, one being

An unstoppable force from New Palestine!