In 2014 the Mount Pleasant High School Drum Line won second place at the BOA Super Regional at the Georgia Superdome –when they had not competed there in eleven years. The drum line was made up of freshmen, sophomores and juniors – no seniors. For some it was their first year holding drum sticks.
This group of youngsters and their percussion instructor, Ron Brown, overcame lots of adversity and odds to accomplish some very special things, both personally as individuals and as a group. You will learn how some of the kids overcame social anxiety issues by being a part of the band experience, and hear Mr. Brown’s near-death as a police officer while in pursuit of a drunk driver.
Mr. Brown also had installed KickPorts in all the drums; basses, and snares. Even the judges said that the ports made a huge difference in the clarity of the drums, the articulation of the players. Mr. Brown used these properties as a training–and motivation–tool for the kids to sharpen their playing.
There were so many obvious stories here: lessons in teamwork, perseverance, drumming, the underdog prevailing – including gratitude for the program from the parents, and how these programs can be for all kids. We loved the story when we heard it on the phone, so we decided to visit them on the day of their last performance of the season and hear their story live.
