Editor’s Note: “Hawks Uncovered” is a series that tells the often unknown stories of Hebron students and staff.
She had fallen in love with leadership.
Junior Rubyna Jooma went from having no drive to play her instrument to finding fulfillment in leading others through her enthusiasm and musicality. Next year, she will lead the band as a drum major.
Rubyna’s older brother was a member of the band and encouraged her to join the program in middle school. She began playing the french horn in sixth grade for Creek Valley’s band, but wasn’t very motivated to practice. Going into high school, she was conflicted on whether she should pursue band or volleyball.
However, her perspective changed when she attended freshman band camp. She said she was inspired by the upperclassmen and family-like atmosphere during the camp. After that week, she knew she had to give band a chance, so she chose to participate in both band and volleyball.
During her freshman year, Rubyna found the family environment she had been searching for, and at the end of the year, she quit volleyball to pursue band further. She applied for drum major at the end of her sophomore year to experience what the process was like. She did not become a drum major, but ended up as a junior officer instead. She said her love for leadership grew every year and having more responsibilities brought her fulfillment.
She was told by her band directors during sophomore year that the only thing holding her back was her playing quality. Rubyna dealt with confidence issues during her freshman and sophomore year, and the years of refusing extra practice caught up to her. She said she wished she would have started practicing earlier, but as she continued, her mindset has changed. Now, Rubyna constantly reminds herself, “Start where you are, it’s never too late.”
As she prepares to become a drum major, she said she wants to focus on confidence, being proactive and having fun. She had to learn to mature in how she manages her time to keep up with academics. She said she’s letting herself make mistakes in order to learn as much as she can before the upcoming year.
In the future, she hopes to become a drum major for Drum Corps International (DCI), as well as attend a law school. She said she is most excited to see the officer team next year and hear their ideas to further grow the program.
