Southmoreland Marching Band
Colorguard Instructor and Visual Instructor
In 2023, I joined the Southmoreland School District (Alverton, PA) and the Southmoreland Marching Band staff as their colorguard instructor and visual instructor. Throughout the three years I have been employed there, I have had the chance to choreograph 3 shows, win a PIMBA Class A Championship Award, and develop skills such as creative thinking, professionalism, crisis management, and hands on teaching with students in grades 7-12.
My Journey
Backstage at a PIMBA Competition
Prior to joining the Southmoreland Marching Band, I did color guard in high school and served as a student leader for three out of my four years. During my time with the band, I was trained in the aspects of flag, rifle, sabre, dance, and baton and now utilize these skills for the choreography that I produce for the colorguard each year. In addition, my choreography has won a PIMBA Champion Award in 2023 and has been awarded Best Visual Effect and Best General Effect multiple times over the three shows I have choreographed in both Class A and Class AA in PIMBA.
Throughout my residency at Southmoreland, I have choreographed three shows: "Rise and Shine" (2023), "Metallic Shades" (2024), and "Unbound" (2025). My job requires me to write choreography based on musicality, creatively think of ways to accentuate music through visuals, teach students the proper techniques and maintain technique as well, critically think about how to improve the guard achievement through judges critique from competitions, choreograph the drum major salute and assist with choreographing the band's visuals. In addition to these elements, my background in music has allowed me to help with teaching musicality and allowed me to provide a simulation drum major setting for the guard to follow as they would see on the field. I also help design our show on a musical, visual, and drill level each year, run recruitment colorguard clinics in the spring, help run mini camp and band camp, and facilitate rehearsals every Tuesday and Thursday night throughout the season.
The band participates and travels Friday nights for football games and competes Saturday nights in competitions held through the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association (PIMBA). During these competitions, I review judges critique through recordings that are provided throughout our performance and participate in a roundtable discussion following the completion of the competition. In addition to competitions and football games, the band travels for the Kennywood Fall Festival Parade, Scottdale Fall Festival Parade, Everson Light Up Parade, Scottdale Light Up Parade and entertains for the Scottdale Veterans and Memorial Day Ceremonies. I also chaperone the yearly band trip to various locations over the country to locations such as Philadelphia, Cleveland, OH., and Disney World in Florida.
This job has allowed me to grow as an individual, musician and a professional. I have utilized the skills learned through my undergraduate communication courses to foster an environment that allows the students to be challenged, have fun, and feel safe. At the start of each season, I ask my team to set our team goals and team pillars and through that, we maintain a culture and environment that is kind, welcoming, fun and safe for all to come to. For the 2025 season, we were able to double the numbers of our students and we hope that the band continues to grow in a positive way throughout the years to come.
2025 Recruitment Clinics
I chose Southmoreland because of the energetic and welcoming community that greeted me when I came into the district. The staff and students truly support one another and fosters an environment that allows us to be a family. From day one, I didn't feel as if I was new; I felt as if I was a long term member of their family.
I also connect deeply with the district's motto of, "We Before Me". It's simple yet powerful and greatly aligns with much of my core beliefs and values both on and off of the marching band stage. I am so proud to be a Scottie and as we say in Alverton:
It's a great day to be a Scottie!
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