Arcadia High School (AHS)’s Color Guard made history on Apr. 12 at the Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, earning first place in the Scholastic World Division with a remarkable score of 98.85.
This marks the first time a Southern California guard has ever won WGI at the Scholastic World Level, which is the highest division for scholastic teams around the world.
“So many factors are put into this cumulative score,” Color Guard Captain senior Angelique Dizon said. “It represents our execution in design, equipment, dance, and general effect. Scoring a 98.85 is an incredible accomplishment for any team participating in guard, because it shows how close a show can get to undeniable precision and perfection.”
WGI is one of the most prestigious competitions out there, bringing together top teams from around the globe. Teams first compete in preliminary rounds, where judges score each performance to determine which groups advance to the championship round. The highest-scoring teams return the next day to perform again, where the judges give the overall ranking and award the final placements.
This season, the Arcadia Color Guard performed their show, “Rewired,” which reimagines the traditional concept of Color Guard by transforming it in a completely new direction. The show uses cables and wires as the main element, attaching them to flags, rifles, and sabers to create a unique touch. In one section, a rifle travels across a cable like a zip line, while other moments feature dancers and equipment moving while connected to wires.
“After performing at our first preview at Chino Hills, we heard so many positive comments about how we connected a wire into our flag and used carabiners on our weapons,” said Captain junior Jennifer Nie. “I never thought that we would receive so much attention with just a small twist on our show.”
The performance used the idea of taking something familiar and “rewiring” it into something new. Through this creative concept, the team pushed the boundaries of normal Color Guard and made it into a unique performance.
“Finals day is always the most exciting as well as the most stressful,” said Nie. “There is all the excitement from people all around the world waiting to see what we got to show, but also staying focused as this is the day where we get our final score to see if we received a Championship.”
For many of the members, the win was a reflection of the intense, long practices and months of preparation. After the countless late-night rehearsals, the team’s hard work paid off on one of their biggest performances yet.
“I was especially proud of the team, because all our hard work paid off, whether that be through our late nights of rehearsals, injuries, etc.,” Dizon said. “To me, it’s not really about the number, but about how much our team enjoys performing our show. We’re really lucky to have a huge support system through friends and family, and most importantly, each other. I’m eternally grateful to have lived through a historic moment for the Arcadia World Guard.”
Along with celebrating, members of the team also hope others will take interest in the program and experience the same feelings of community and accomplishment.
“I highly recommend everyone to check out our Color Guard program!” said Nie. “Joining this team and being here for almost four years has seriously changed my life. It feels like I have a second family who are all like sisters to me. It’s so fun to practice with my teammates, to work hard, and achieve to be the best!”
This year’s achievement is a major milestone for the AHS Color Guard, reflecting their talent and teamwork throughout the season. Congratulations to the team on an unforgettable season and a groundbreaking gold medal win!
PHOTO COURTESY OF COLOR GUARD
