East High School is known across the state as one of the top high school marching band programs in the region. It’s not just about leading a stadium of fans for the National Anthem or rallying the students with the school song. It’s also about practicing long hours, enduring day-long bus trips, and never fearing the heat and cold of Wyoming weather. It takes a special kind of person to put on the Columbia Blue and meet the expectations of the best band around. Performing across Wyoming, neighboring states, and, at times, the country, the program depends on a steady stream of top-notch musicians.  

Recruitment isn’t just for the military. And, like the military, if you want to be the best, you need to find the best. On October 21, the band went full-on recruitment by hosting the East Triad Marching Event. Local 6th, 5th, and 4th grade students were invited to join the band at Okie Blanchard Stadium for an hour-long performance.  

“We are performing for the future T-Birds of East High School,” said Wyatt Olivas, Drum Major and Student Body President. “We’re here to perform and recruit kids to be active in band and keep kids active in actives here at East and, just in general, cause kids who are involved to better academically.”  

The hope is many of the young musicians will consider being one of the decorated performers when they enter high school. The band not only performed to increase the number of band students, but to benefit the future generations of East students by introducing them to the importance of being an active member of East.   

“[It’s important for the kids to see the band perform] because it’s just an opportunity for them to do something school related as they get older,” said band director Aemalemalo Seui. “It just gives them another window so they can actually succeed in high school further on.”   

To recruit the future T-Birds, the band performed their Summer Sequence, cadences, played their fall show music, and Olivas gave a speech about how fulfilling it is to be a part of a community in high school. To write his speech Olivas went to where he writes all his speeches, his unofficial office. 

“Honestly,” said Olivas, “I was like ‘It’s Monday, and I have to get a speech ready by Thursday’ so I went to my thinking spot, the toilet, and I wrote my speech. My best speeches come from me sitting [in the bathroom]. It’s true. I plan on writing my graduation speech there.”  

After the performance, the elementary kids filed themselves back onto the buses, but not before running up to members of the band and congratulating and thanking the band for a job well done. And the accolades were not lost on the teachers.   

“It was great,” said Aric Hagaman, assistant band director. “It was fantastic. They worked hard all season and they pushed to the end, and they finished really strong. [We may not get] every one of [the elementary students], but hopefully we got a few [to join band].” 

Two elementary students said they were ready to join the band, and one of them already has her instrument in mind. She wants to play the flute.