Due to the band rehearsal schedule conflicting with the original Senior Sunrise, senior Avery Dyer organized an alternative Senior Sunrise for band seniors in the practice lot that took place on Aug. 30.

Due to the recent extreme heat in the afternoons, marching band rehearsals had to be changed to the morning. While this made rehearsals less harsh on members, this change caused the band seniors to miss out on the Senior Sunrise on Aug. 18.

“[The school administrators] tried really hard to work with our schedule and plan events to where everybody can go, [but] we weren’t able to go,” Dyer said. “I know that was disappointing for a lot of band kids, but we also didn’t want to miss rehearsals because we didn’t want to get behind.”

Dyer said she was inspired to come up with an alternative event for those who missed it.

“I was talking with a few of my other band senior friends about if they would maybe want to do [an alternative event], and they said they thought that would be very fun,” Dyer said. “[We] just wanted to do it for fun and to keep the senior traditions going this year, even though it’s a busy season.”

Dyer collaborated with head band director Andy Sealy and principal Amy Boughton to set a date for the event. While it was a struggle trying to find the perfect day, Sealy said he did his best to schedule rehearsals in the afternoon so Dyer could hold the band’s Senior Sunrise. 

“It is a good thing any time kids take the initiative to set up something they feel strongly about and do it by the appropriate means,” Sealy said.

Dyer received contact information from band’s section leaders so she could get in touch with all of the seniors to let them know about her plan. At 6:30 a.m. when the band Senior Sunrise began, the seniors met with each other at the practice field to eat breakfast and wait for the sunrise. 

“I feel very happy because it was very sad [to miss] the actual Senior Sunrise,” senior drum major Jose Gallegos said. All of my closest friends are in band, so having this makes it feel extra special.” 

The Senior Sunrise brought together 43 band seniors to spend some time together to watch the sun.

“[It’s] kind of special, almost intimate, just because we’ve come so far together,” Dyer said. “This is a moment to relax, maybe play music, take pictures together and just have a moment just for ourselves.”