“I always see people dancing to the music, the band keeps the energy alive, and makes football games fun,” said Jianna Avila (10).

The band itself is completely student run, and consists of a few freshmen, but the majority of the group is made up of sophomores, juniors, and seniors, all who play different instruments.

“The purpose of the band is to keep the crowd as energetic possible, with hopes of also keeping the players on the field determined, and encouraging them to play well,” said leader of the pep band Alejandro Lara-Agraz (12).

The members of the band are constantly pumped at football games, despite the score. They never fail to keep the music itself alive, and preppy.

“In general, we’re a pretty happy group,” said a member of the band, Julia Dijogo (11).

The band plays a variety of songs throughout each game, with a variety of different genres. From an excerpt of Iron Man, to YMCA, to the famous school Fight Song, a song that the band plays at crucial points in the game. The Heritage Fight song is based off the Michigan State Victors song, also played by their band for the same reason.

Although the music sounds great, and the crowd is moving around, some students feel as if there’s room for some additional development. They feel that the band needs some time to settle in with each other, and get used to each other’s playing styles.

“I just think that they need some improvement, which will come overtime, but for the most part, I think they’re really good! They play to hype up the crowd and not have it quiet in the stands. When I used to cheer, we didn’t have a band so it’s cool to have that addition to the football game. It makes the game livelier,” said Emilee Landra (10).

Mr. Ernest, head of the band program, agrees.

“There’s always room for improvement when it comes to instrumental artistic ensembles,” said Mr. Ernest.

Whether you’re a fan of the band or not, it’s without a doubt that they elevate the mood of the game, creating an unforgettable high school experience for students at the same time.