For the past 4 years, colorguard and winterguard have become more than just a sport to me — they’ve become my passion, my safe place, and something I want to continue for the rest of my life. This upcoming school year will mark my 5th year in the activity, which means I will have completed 7 total seasons between marching season and winterguard.

I started my very first season in 8th grade during winterguard. Our show was titled “EARTH,” and it was such a beautiful experience that made me fall in love with performing. After that season, I decided to give colorguard a try during marching band season, and from there my passion only grew stronger.

My freshman year was extremely challenging. I was the only person who signed up for colorguard, so I was automatically placed as captain even though it was only my second season ever. We also didn’t have a consistent coach, so most of the time I had to teach myself while still learning everything for the first time. No matter how hard I worked, it always felt like what I did was never enough for the people around me. Looking back now, those struggles helped shape me into a stronger person and performer.

Sophomore year brought even more challenges. When winterguard season was getting close, I remember being so excited to perform again until I was told, “Winterguard is just a waste of my time if y’all aren’t going to win.” Hearing that crushed me, but instead of giving up, I found someone willing to help our program continue. I want to give a huge thank you to Gaby Landavazo for stepping in and helping direct Luther Winterguard because without her, we wouldn’t have had a season at all.

Junior year marching season was one of the hardest years for me mentally and physically. Between colorguard, cheer, school, and leadership responsibilities, I constantly felt overwhelmed. On top of that, dealing with teammates who disrespected me while I was only trying to help made things even harder. But through all of it, I never stopped loving this activity.

That winterguard season, our show was titled “VIENNA,” a love story performance that became one of my favorite shows I’ve ever done. I was one of the main soloists, and I poured my entire heart into every performance because this sport truly means everything to me.

Now, after years of hard work and dedication, I recently auditioned for Drum Corps International and earned a spot with ZEPHYRUS, an Open Class drum corps based in Oklahoma. This summer I will have the opportunity to tour and perform across Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas doing what I love most.

However, participating comes with a large financial commitment, and my dues total $2,999. If you took the time to read my story, I would truly appreciate any donation or support toward helping me continue my colorguard journey. Every share, donation, and word of encouragement means the world to me.

Thank you for supporting my dream. ❤️