MHS Marching Band Good as Gold

The Milbank High School marching band earned a Gold rating and placed fifth at the Northern State University Gypsy Days marching band competition in Aberdeen October 1. They were one of 16 bands to receive a Gold rating.

The top five finishers in the event were: Aberdeen Central, first; Warner, second; Aberdeen Roncalli, third; Ipswich, fourth; and Milbank, fifth. “With awesome weather, many parents and friends were in attendance at the parade,” stated band director, Susan Karels.

If you weren’t able to attend Gypsy Days, you still have the opportunity to hear the band play on Friday, October 14. Both the high school and middle school bands are the featured halftime entertainment at the MHS football game. In honor of band night, all band students in grades 6-12, including the 26 seniors and their parents, will be highlighted.

The high school band has 114 members. Drum majors for the group are Taylor Balling, Kimberlly Aburto, and Savannah Mork. Kaleb DeBoer is the high school band president and Jose Chen serves as the vice president.

Section leaders are: Savannah Mork, Mallory Trapp, and Sarah Jarman as flute section leaders; Brooke Fraasch, Taylor Balling, Jamie DeVaal, and Christina Lusk as clarinet section leaders; Zach Angerhofer and Sarah Ward as bass clarinet leaders; and Korinne Roggenbuck and Shawn Stemsrud as alto saxophone leaders.
Jimmie Berkner is the tenor sax section leader and Claire Mischel serves the bari saxophone section. Leading the trumpet section are Mackayla Schuelke, Trevor Schmidt, and Kimberlly Aburto. Paige Johnson is the french horn section leader, Allison Grear, trombone/euphonium section leader, and Kaleb DeBoer is the tuba section leader. Section leaders for percussion are Connor Lightfield, Kadon Leddy, and Adam Thomas.

Susan Karels is beginning her 25th year as band director for Milbank High School. She graduated from Northern State University. Karels was named Milbank Teacher of the Year for 2011-2012 and Region Teacher of the Year that same year.

There are 111 members in the middle school band in grades six through eight at the public school and 10 from St. Lawrence School. Drum majors for the middle school band are: Jake Trevett, Eric Van Sambeek, Emma DeBoer, Amber Unzen, and Marly Leddy. On Friday, October 14, the middle school band will travel to Groton to participate in the Lake Region Marching Band Festival.