It feels like it was just yesterday that band students were stepping onto the field for the first time of the season, with little knowledge of how to march or how to play the musical arrangements. Five months went by in a flash since the sweltering hot June practices; since then, the West High Entertainment Unit has come a long way. They’ve won various awards, broken new personal records, and even placed at championships. So how do the students feel about the end of the season?

   “I think it’s safe to say that we’re all tired, but it’s been a really fun season so I’m kinda bummed that it came to [a] close so quickly,” Sigmmond Antony (11) stated. Antony’s opinion roughly encapsulates the bittersweet feeling that’s been plaguing the band since the season ended. It’s not easy to place tenth at championships, and individual devotion was eclipsed only by “we operat[ing] as a unit,” which resulted in members “mak[ing] connections with the people marching with us, so it’s dis- appointing that it has to come to an end,” Antony concluded.

   WHEU had one of its best years in over a decade, and “a lot of hard work was put into achieving this from students and leaders alike,” recalled Angelina Sun (10). Sun, saxophone section leader, explained that this was the first year that “[they’d] ever received a high music award, and it’s also the first in a long time that [they’ve] placed so well at championships.” She went on to say that the band has been steadily improving over the years, especially since the COVID lockdown. According to Drum Major Yumiko Kasai (12), “[they’ve] been increasing in placements at championships every year since the shutdown, which feels pretty nice.” She was somewhat relieved that most of her duties as Drum Major have been completed, but she too was sad to see her peers go.

   After such a successful season, there is no question that WHEU is back in full swing.