Band Gains Experience at State Level
    By Sara Murphree, Staff Writer~~Monahans News~~ 11/5/2004

The  Big Green Band traveled to San Antonio on Sunday Oct. 31, to compete for the state title.

"This was the best performance they have done all year.  It was just that the judges picked someone else," Head Band Director Jeff Whitaker said.

There are three music judges and two marching judges in the contest.  Each judge selects the band he/she feels deserves to win, and the band that accumulates the most votes wins the state title.

Monahans placed 15th of 19 bands in the 3A Division.

"We were just glad to be able to go, and it was great to be able to perform in the Alamodome," Whitaker said.

"We struggled a little bit on our music since it echoed, but we all had fun," LaShay Batey said.

The Alamodome is completely enclosed, unlike the open-air football fields where the Big Green Band is accustomed to performing.

After the contest, the band members had a night out at Malibu Grand Prix for go-cart riding, playing putt-putt golf or chasing each other in bummer boats.

The following morning everyone went shopping at a San Antonio Mall for approximately three hours before boarding bus for the trip home.

The band contest for 3A is held every other year.  The next available contest for the Big Green Band will be in 2006.

Keyed by Lettie Acosta