**Lead needs to grab attention and cover recent first-place wins.**

In 1965, Jupiter High School’s band started their very first marching season. The Spirit of Jupiter marching band has had several names throughout the years. They were known as the Jupiter High Marching Band, then the Marching Warriors and since 2007, the Spirit of Jupiter Marching Band. 

In 2014, the marching show “One Tribe” was the first year the marching band had won state championships. After their great success, the SOJ band now goes to states every year for the Florida Marching Band Championships. 

The band worked for over six months to put a show together to perform at FMBC. 

“Our goal is to make a production that we not only feel emotional but everyone watching does too,” Zoie Kline, senior, said. “And to have that feeling afterward that you’ve accomplished something so amazing and so great, that you’ve made people stunned.”

The SOJ Marching Band is very well known throughout the schools in South Florida. 

“You really don’t realize how special and how prominent our school is until you go to other competitions and you see other people and you are wowed by yourself,” Kline said. “You are impressed with yourself, and you seem to stand up straighter and be proud of yourself.”

Kline, who is the lead drum major for the marching band, has been a part of the program since her freshman year. She loves the sense of family that the band provides for the new members. 

“When I saw the community and the family and the culture that surrounded the entire program, it made me really want to stay,” Kline said.

The band starts their practice in late May, giving the incoming freshman a long time to get acquainted with new people. They have over 100 people they already know going into their first year of high school.

Because the band starts practicing early in the year and FMBC isn’t until Nov, the standards they work by continue to grow. 

On Sept. 25 the SOJ Marching Band had their very first competition of the 2021 season. They swept the table by placing first in all categories and first in their class. 

“We got first place with the highest score in the entire competition. That being said, that is our lowest standard now,” Kline said. “We have so much more to grow, we have so much more to add on to the show, we have more to improve on individually and as a whole unit.”

Last year they went through old boxes in the band room and found scrapbooks, posters from past FMBC competitions, yearbooks, pictures, and letters from well-known composers. The band also found an old signed letter by Ronald Reagan that is now hanging on the wall outside of Ross’ office. 

“We have been known and recognized by sophisticated composers to have specific works created for us or to perform them and then sign those for us,” Kline said. 

John Williams, a famous composer who has done work for big films such as “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List,” wrote to a past band director saying how thankful he was for being able to come and teach a class. 

After the band had cleaned up their room, Ross was able to get in contact with JHS alumni who were in the SOJ Marching Band. 

“It kind of just spiraled into this big Alumni Outreach and we started with 50 alumni on a Facebook page and now it’s up to almost 400 alumni,” Ross said. 

The Alumni Outreach project has helped the band get back in touch with past members and some have come back to the school to help direct the band as a tech. 

Alex Carassco was the brass band captain in 2019 during his senior year and is currently a staff member of the band. 

“I fell in love with the drive of the performers and previous staff, there really is nothing better than a staff that wants and pushes everyone to get better,” Carassco said. 

The drive of the band, as well as the staff, is what pushes everyone to put on this 10-minute show for a crowd with uplifting energy.

“Walking off that field knowing you did so well and you did your best, and then looking over to your peers, and seeing that they feel exactly the same way,” Kline said. “There’s no way to describe that feeling other than just being so proud, and happy and excited.”

Kline, head drum major, directs the band and feels prideful of herself and the band after each performance. 

“It’s just a one-of-a-kind feeling, that you try and aim for as many times as you can because you know the last time that you have it is going to be something you’re going to miss,” Kline said. 

The SOJ Marching Band will have their Music Performance Assessment at Palm Beach Central High on Saturday Oct. 23.