The Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps is here at SHS this week. This professional marching band travels around the country and competes through an organization called Drum Corps International (DCI). They compete in championships every year in Indianapolis. 

The World Championship will be held Saturday, Aug. 13. The event will be at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

The corps needed a place to rehearse for this competition, and with SHS being very close to where they will be performing, they reached out and decided to practice here. 

“We thought it would be an excellent opportunity to show our kids the top-level marching band,” band director Jeffrey Maupin said. 

Santa Clara Vanguard is allowing SHS band students to watch them rehearse, and is also providing every member of the marching band with tickets to watch the Prelims.

Member of SHS marching band, senior Rachel Borho is excited to have a professional DCI group at SHS.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had a professional DCI group here, so we were all super excited,” Borho said. “But, we were also a little nervous because we’re all hoping that they might be able to see us play.” 

Having a professional drum corps here has been a great experience for students, and has been motivational for the marching band members. 

“It’s definitely motivated me to see where they are, and that I want to become that level,” Borho said. “And it made me realize that that’s what I want to do.”