Saint Spirit at Homecoming Parade

San Dimas Royal Corps Significance & Performance At Homecoming Parade

October 25, 2021

The San Dimas Royal Corps shows their school spirit by performing in this year’s Homecoming parade. Since the fall of 2008, the City of San Dimas has hosted an old-fashioned Homecoming Parade in downtown San Dimas. Students and staff from the surrounding schools as well as city board members and families participate in this community event. The band performs in a parade block and marches down Bonita Blvd. playing their school’s fight song, When The Saints Go Marching In, a rock and roll song called Word Up, and the drumline play cadences. Due to the pandemic, having people in quarantine all of 2020, the city was unable to host a proper Homecoming Parade, making this year’s parade an event that the people of San Dimas had been looking forward to. 

As of the 2021-2022 school year, the band program is being co-directed by Lance Beckford and Daniel Sandt. They work together to improve the band program and make students feel a part of an organization that is bigger than themselves. Marching in the Homecoming Parade is important for the band members because it’s “a special moment where you say hey I’m here, and I did this! I was part of this thing that happened,” said Sandt .

it’s a special moment where you say hey I’m here, and I did this! I was part of this thing that happened,

— Co-Director Daniel Sandt

The students in the band program are making the best of their high school experience by contributing to the parade. When the band plays music, it’s to “inspire that next person, and that next kid to be involved in their community” Beckford said. Having people of all ages be influenced by music, making them feel a certain way towards doing something within their community. When the people of San Dimas came together to host the Homecoming Parade, there were a lot of smiles and people recognizing and appreciating the band for being the center of school spirit.

Homecoming is a long-standing American tradition where schools welcome alumni back to their hometown by dedicating a football game, hosting a homecoming parade and the Homecoming Dance. For most people this homecoming is important because they are “returning to a place that is familiar after being away for some time” said Beckford. For someone who has a lot of background and history in San Dimas, this homecoming is special to Beckford because he grew up in San Dimas and came back after 20 years, so being able to influence people about his passion for music is something he wants to share at the homecoming parade. As a teacher having to deal with distance learning, “sitting in the office in silence alone is not what I signed up for, I just love being with you guys” said Sandt. Being able to teach music online is not the same as it is in person, Sandt and the students missed out on the opportunities to bond over music, so being involved in events are opportunities that the Royal Corps doesn’t want to miss out on. The people of San Dimas have been away from each other for so long that this homecoming parade is a great way to express how they feel about each other.

The music that is played is greatly affected by the amount of support the Royal Corp gets from people. Complements and recognition boost the band member’s confidence, allowing them to not be nervous when performing in front of crowds. The culture that San Dimas has towards the band and the acceptance they have towards band members is uplifting. For the Royal Corp to be socially accepted at their school goes to show the type of culture San Dimas has. “This isn’t true for all schools, at some schools the band can be degraded and here they are not,” said Sandt. People love music, and the band members love playing music for people, that relationship helps produce a nice sounding tune for the city to listen to while at the parade.

For this year’s homecoming nominees, there are two band members nominated for homecoming court, Samantha Gomeshi and Scott Jacobson. Gomeshi is involved in cross country and plays tenor saxophone for jazz, concert, and marching band, and Jacobson is involved in wrestling and plays bass trombone for jazz, tuba for the concert, and sousaphone for marching band. By being involved in these activities, they have gotten the support from many students to be nominated for homecoming court. Since the beginning of freshman year “I always looked up to the senior homecoming girls in their beautiful dresses and the fun activities they got to participate in and wanted to do the same,” said Gomeshi. Being nominated for homecoming queen is something Gomeshi wanted to experience and for the band to support her is something that she is grateful for.

During the homecoming parade, Gomeshi was unable to perform with the band since they were being escorted in fancy cars and experiencing being a homecoming queen nominee. Although Gomeshi did not participate with the band during the homecoming parade, she was able to enjoy the band’s performance as an audience member. Gomeshi loves being involved in school events, doing anything she could to contribute to school spirit which is why she dedicated her homecoming campaign to her involvement in the band.

Part of the band’s performance is the amount of effort and support they get from the parents, staff, and band members. The participation involved from students and the city of San Dimas as a  whole is what makes San Dimas a special place. People from many organizations and programs participate from dance to marching band to the fire department and even more. The more people who are involved in the parade, the more recognition the Royal Corp gets. Being able to come back after a year’s break and be passionate about school spirit is what the band came to do. The San Dimas Royal Corp’s performance at the homecoming parade is just the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

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