West Lowndes High School alum donates several trumpets to band
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – High school band is more than just playing on the sidelines at football games.
It can open up new opportunities for students.
Beyond mastering an instrument, there is also a sense of community among members.
And there can be more concrete benefits, like college scholarships.
But for some students, there are financial obstacles, especially when buying an instrument.
That’s why a West Lowndes alum found a unique way to give back to his high school.
Students were testing their new trumpets for the upcoming school year.
The new instruments were a welcome surprise for West Lowndes High School Band members.
“Six trumpets on the cart, and he said this is a donation for you all, and I’m like, oh my goodness, thank you so much,” Marcus Wright said. “This means the world, you know.”
The trumpets were a gift from West Lowndes alum Jesse Morris.
Morris said he is always happy to be able to give back to his alma mater.
“It makes me feel really good in a positive way, doing something for the school,” Morris said. “I know that this is probably the first time this has ever been done for West Lowndes High School. Somebody donating this amount of instruments at one time makes me feel great, and it is an awesome moment.”
Jesse’s sister and former West Lowndes Band member, Adrienne Morris, said this is an investment in the future of the students.
“This is an opportunity to may spark others to think about way they can give back to West Lowndes High School,” Adrienne said. “It is a lot of Motley and West Lowndes High School graduates in the area and within the region. Just thinking about ways to give back whether it is an instrument, being able to give their time back or just finding those little ways to get involved with the students, the staff and, the administrators here to help make that big impact.”
West Lowndes High School Band director, Marcus Wright said the trumpet amplifies the band during its performances.
“These new instruments, we are going to definitely utilize them in miraculous ways to go to the next level,” Wright said. “Give good quality sound and be competitive to do competitions, performances, football games, etc. So, yeah we are definitely excited about it.”
CampusReel reports there are over 1,000 marching band scholarships awarded across the country each year.
