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Band Instruments

So far this school year, many of our band students travel to Gildersleeve M.S. on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week to tutor band students. The Symphonic Band performed for Deer Park Elementary's Blue Ribbon Ceremony on November 15th. The MHS Drumline performed for Nelson, Sedgefield and Riverside Elementary Schools' Red Ribbon/Anti-Bullying Parades as well as Gildersleeve's 8th grade assembly to represent the Fine Arts Department at Menchville. They also performed for the Torch Passing Ceremony at City Center for the Special Olympics. Seven of our percussionists performed as Menchville's Handbell Choir for part of Trinity United Methodist Church's 130th Anniversary Celebration. Two of our band students played for the Italian Memorial Day Ceremony on November 4th at the Hampton National Cemetery. One of our Trumpeters performed for the Foreign Language Honor Society Induction. Lastly, several of our band student's often perform at local churches on the Peninsula.

The MHS Band Boosters will plan, organize and execute the disbursement of all funds received. The Boosters are led by an executive board who work closely with Deborah Sarvay, the Band Director. As a team, Ms. Sarvay, the Board and the general membership assess the needs of the band to determine the best ways to use the grant funds for the greater good of the entire band. Our Financial records are audited annually by an outside party.

All the instruments listed are to replace ones that are at least 46 years old. It is incredible that instruments of that age, which have been used in a public school setting, even work. What is more incredible, is that our students perform so well with such inadequate equipment. We have students with great musical talent who are not performing as they could due to the condition of their current instrument. We want to provide the best instruments possible so that our band kids can excel and experience greatness.

The Menchville Band is a superior program with superior musicians who strive to continue our VA. Honor Band and Virginia Music Educators Association Blue Ribbon Music School status. The Boosters want to help make this possible by providing quality instruments that they so desperately need and deserve. 62.6% of NNPS students are economically disadvantaged. Parents are not able to purchase quality instruments when they are worrying about putting food on the table. We need instruments so that no student is ever turned away from one of the most outstanding electives offered.

We had 35 students who would have particiapted in All-City Band however, the event was canceled due to snow. We had 24 students participate in All-District Band February 2-4, 2017. And we are taking 10 band students to James Madison University on February 25, 2017 to audition for ALL- Virginia Band.
We are so proud of our band students, their enthusiasm and their commitment to making this year's music program better than ever. The band received SUPERIOR ratings on November 5th for their final performance at the VBODA Marching Band Assessment and they are currently preparing for VBODA Concert Assessment which will take place March 15th and 16th, 2017.

Menchville is the premier band in Newport News. Our band members have performed in the London New Year’s Day Parade twice and will travel to Hawaii in December for the 75th Anniversary Remembrance Ceremony of Pearl Harbor. These students proudly represent their community and state at these events and past performances in New York City, Orlando, Atlanta, Hershey PA., and Myrtle Beach. In addition, each year they perform at the Southeast Community Day Parade, the Denbigh Day Parade and other events including elementary school SOL pep rallies; and Red Ribbon and Just Say No celebrations. Last year the Marching Monarchs led the Newport News Relay for life Survivor Lap at Todd Stadium and we have already begun our fundraising efforts for next year's Relay for Life on May 6, 2017. The students will once again volunteer their time for the entire event, assist the staff with the lighting of hundreds of luminaries and we hope to surpass the $1600+ we raised last year in the process. This year we have 50 Students and parents on our Relay Team and we raised $500 toward our goal by growing our team in a weeks time in the WE > Me contest by Relay for Life. In addition to performing, these students volunteer at Riverside hospital, the Virginia Living Museum, at their churches and at Menchville High School events including our Lead to Feed Initiative. Our ensembles have performed for the State of Newport News address by the Mayor, the NNPS retirement banquet and the NNPS Service Awards Banquet. In addition, our show band performs for the MHS show choir. Show Choir would not be able to compete if they did not have a live band as it is a required element. Our show band students give of their time to learn the music on their own time, for weekly group practices and go to all competitions – they receive no credit/grade for this. Show band and show choir perform frequently for the community and community organizations including the Choir Pyramid Concert on February 23rd, 2017 at MHS.

With the help of Community Knights, the MHS Band Boosters have been able to make tremendous contributions to the Band Program at Menchville High School. We would like to thank you for the opportunity to work with such an amazing and inspiring organization. Our band students continue to grow as musicians, scholars and citizens of the Virginia Peninsula of Hampton Roads.

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