Poet Geoffrey Chaucer once penned, “All good things must come to an end.” It is a simple, yet such a true phrase. For the Apache Marching Band and Colorguard, their “good thing” came to an end on Saturday, Nov. 18. The 64th annual Arcadia Festival of Bands (AFOB) and the 16th annual Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) 2017 6A Field Championships concluded the end of their parade and field show season. After a season characterized by hard work, determination, and dedication, the members bid farewell to an amazing and fruitful season. The hours and efforts poured into perfecting their marching and field show were threaded with the unity of the members and their faith in the program. This year’s season also marked an inaugural one in AHS history. New uniforms were debuted, and modernized visuals and effects were incorporated to appeal to the new generation. Countless sweepstakes awards were also garnered, and their efforts reflected in their accomplishments. With the installation of these new traditions and achievements, the 2017 season is definitely one to be remembered.

The 2017 AFOB theme was “Imagine, inquire, inspire”. As the band and colorguard proudly marched down Baldwin Ave. to open the longest-running band review in California, the audiences did not fail to recognize their execution of the theme. Through the execution of their march, “March Grandioso”, the marchers appropriately demonstrated the high honor they held as members of the Arcadia marching band. Following behind them were the three middle schools: Foothills Middle School, First Avenue Middle School, and Dana Middle School. The city of Arcadia was overflowing with guests, welcoming different bands from all over the region.

The night was closed with the SCSBOA field championships, held at Citrus College stadium. Recognized as one of the most prestigious field show competitions in Southern California, participants had waited all season for this moment, determined to captivate and impress the judges and audience with the show they had rehearsed to perfect the entire season. Competing against 11 other schools, Arcadia skillfully executed its show, “Resurgence”, which it had worked all season to perfect. Top competitors in the night’s program included Mt. Carmel High School, Rancho Bernardo High School, and Chino High School. The audience sat proudly in the bleachers, impressed by the stunning shows each school put on. The race was tight, with many bands only a tenth of a point behind each other. With such intense competition, the championship title would be granted to the highest scoring performance of the night. Unfortunately, our band and colorguard came a little short in their performance, claiming fourth in the championships. However, like Band President senior Stanley Chang expressed, “The work [they] put in was definitely not wasted”; the 2017 season left an unforgettable print in history. Reflecting on their year, it is distinguished by the “persistence of the team,” united to accomplish a common goal and forging “bonds and memories that will stick with [them] forever.”

French horn junior Candace Chen expressed, “I think that in this season we pulled off something none of us thought we could pull off. Even though we changed so many aspects of our program, everyone adapted quickly with an open mind. I feel I really learned a lot from this marching season. To be successful you have to constantly evaluate yourself and challenge yourself. Although our team may not have gotten the place we were expecting, I feel that the experience everyone had while going through made it valuable.”

And just like that, we recognize that their “good thing” really was good; yet, it had to come to an end. With this close to a remarkable season, we congratulate the band and colorguard on such an incredible, successful season, and we are excited to see them present an overview of their year at the 2018 annual Spaghetti Dinner!

Photo courtesy of ARCADIA MUSIC