A Shining Light

OCHS freshman honored with prestigious award at the Alamo Bowl

Article by Aundrea Koger

Over winter break, the OCHS marching band took a trip down to San Antonio, Texas, to play in the halftime show of the Alamo Bowl.  While there, the band experienced a multitude of emotions, ranging from excitement about the adventures at hand in San Antonio, to dread caused by persistent cold and rain.  Most notably though, the band experienced a feeling of pure, unadulterated, and for some, even tear-filled joy and pride in a fellow OCHS band member.

The evening before the Alamo Bowl, there was a banquet for all of the high school bands participating in the halftime performance.  The occasion was very characteristic of banquets, with a dinner served, speeches recited, and awards given.  And there was one award in particular that aroused a mutual feeling of surprise, followed by delight, amongst the members of the Osage City High School Band. The Spirit of the Alamo award is given to a student nominated by his/her band director that has demonstrated leadership, dedication, and positivity during the marching season. This year that award was given to none other than OCHS freshman, Justin Davis, a trumpet player for the Marching Indians, who was chosen out of the array of 1200 other band students from various high schools around the country.

At first, some may think that Davis received the award because of the challenges he must overcome on the marching field, due to his visual impairment.  But it is really Davis’s personality that sets him apart.  Not only does he work diligently to overcome his challenges, but he also strives to be just another inconspicuous member of the band, which is important in marching, as one of the main goals is to perform as a well-balanced unit, without any one member standing out from the rest.  “Even though he can’t see what he’s doing, he never wants to stick out,” said OCHS band director Mrs. Melissa Askren.  And this team-player mindset is not the only thing that makes Davis such a prime choice for the Spirit of the Alamo award.  No matter what, rain or shine, at an early morning rehearsal or seconds before performing at a marching competition, Davis always has an upbeat, “We’re going to rock this,” type of attitude that can spread throughout the whole band.  Even during the most dreadful practices he keeps fellow band members smiling with his sense of humor and words of encouragement, all while constantly working to improve his ability to march and play the show.

With Davis being such a shining light in the OCHS band, it’s no wonder his receipt of the Spirit of the Alamo award brought about such a strong emotional reaction from his fellow Marching Indians.  A cacophony of cheers erupted from the Osage City students when his name was called, and many of them couldn’t help but cry tears of joy and pride.  “When he won the award, the whole band was pretty much in tears.  It was a cool moment for everyone,” noted Askren. Davis, especially, was overjoyed by the honor, walking through the standing ovation and up to the stage with his trademark smile lighting up his face.  “I was really proud of what I did and really proud to receive the award,” expressed the well-deserving freshman.

Not only did Davis have a significant impact on the OCHS band, but his story even inspired other schools that attended the banquet, with Askren saying, “People were emailing me back about how amazing it was.”  And the whole situation truly was amazing.  Davis is a reminder that even when something is challenging, perseverance and a positive attitude can take someone further than they ever expected, and inspire others along the way.