WEST POINT, Ala. — In this interview, I talked to West Point’s Jasmine Quick about some of the many great memories during her time as a Warrior band member and what she learned from those experiences.
“When I first started high school, I was nervous because I wasn’t sure what to expect. Luckily, I got involved in band my eighth-grade year, so I had a handful of people I had already known. Being a part of West Point’s Auxiliary provided countless memories, but one of my favorites was our lock-in my junior year. Our sponsor at the time, Renee Lee, organized a lock-in at our school, which included movies, snacks, and games. After so much hard work we had put into band camp previously, it was a great way to share that time with my teammates. Having that kind of bond with my friends, as well as my sponsor, is something I’ll never forget, and is something I’m most grateful for.”
She added,
“What I learned the most about being in the band was my social skills. I had to learn how to work with people and agree on things together. It wasn’t easy for me to negotiate on a few things, but at the end of the day, it was part of being a leader. It was all about working together and I couldn’t have done it with just any group of people. I had the best of the best.”
Jasmine talked about her experience in the band and how she got started, plus what she learned.
“I tried out for danceline my seventh-grade year. I immediately knew that I loved it. After that, I tried out every year. This past year, I got danceline captain, but I tore my ACL shortly after. Not only was I crushed that I had lost my last season, but I lost an important role I had worked so hard to earn. I didn’t give up though. I was at every competition, practice, and even a football game a day after my surgery,” she said. “I would say this organization has brought me not only some of my greatest memories but has taught me how to be a leader. Be a hard worker and show my teammates what to look up to. I’ve learned to work hard for the things I had dreamed of, and being captain was something I always wanted. It might have been a tough final year for me, but I didn’t give up and I still got to participate, just in different ways.”
Jasmine had her fair share of great band directors during her time at West Point and learned something valuable from each of them.
“When I first started out, I wasn’t the greatest. It was tryout week and I had signed up at the last minute. I ended up having the lowest score, but Ty Parker told me he saw progress in me and believed I could be better later on. That was one of many ways that helped me to work hard and be better. Robert Patrick was one to tell us ‘one more time’ every time we did a run-through. We did not leave until our run was clean and almost perfect. Thad Walker has been great. He not only wants us to be better; he has done a good job of growing our band. We have drastically grown compared to these past few years. He makes sure everyone is doing something. There was never a day off in band. These few directors taught me dedication, and that I had to earn our trophies, not just have them handed over to us.”
Being in the band has helped Jasmine become the person that she is right now. She talked about what made West Point a special place to go to, what she will remember the most about going there, and what she will miss the most.
“Being in the band helped me develop my leadership skills while being the danceline captain. I learned how to get tasks done in a matter of time, and I learned how to manage my patience,” she said. “What made West Point a special school to go to was the faculty. Some of my teachers have grown so close to me and I know I could always count on them. I will always remember my classmates and I will miss homecoming and the football games.”
Jasmine talked about what she learned the most about going to West Point and she also gave some advice to the students that will be starting high school in August.
“I learned a lot of day-to-day life skills, especially in my Home Economics class my freshman year. Without Ms. Renee Lee, I wouldn’t have learned how to iron clothes or write in cursive,” she said. “My advice to those students starting high school in August would be to be involved as much as possible, make new friends, and have fun in high school because it’s gone before you know it.”
Copyright 2023 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
