Senate Concurrent Resolution 598

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE LEWISBURG HIGH SCHOOL "PATRIOT" MARCHING BAND AND BAND DIRECTOR MEL MORSE FOR WINNING THE BAND'S THIRD MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION/MISSISSIPPI BAND ASSOCIATION 2012 CLASS 4A STATE MARCHING BAND CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHEREAS, for three of the last four years, the Lewisburg High School "Patriot" Marching Band is the State 4A Marching Champion. The Mississippi High School Activities Association/Mississippi Band Association title is Lewisburg's third. The others came in 2009 and 2010; and

WHEREAS, Lewisburg High School joins the ranks of other top-notch band programs in DeSoto County such as DeSoto Central High, Olive Branch High, Hernando High and Center Hill High School; and

WHEREAS, Mel Morse, Lewisburg High School Marching Band Director, and Assistant Band Director Kim Hallmark said parents and band students should be very proud after being crowned with the Mississippi High School Activities Association Marching Band State Championship; and

WHEREAS, Lewisburg High School has only been in existence since 2006. Mel Morse has been the Band Instructor for many of the band students even before they entered high school; and

WHEREAS, "The support of the community and the school administration has been very instrumental in our success." Morse said many of his band students only picked up their first instruments and began to learn how to play them the night Hurricane Katrina struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2005. "Seventy-five parents showed up in the driving rain," Morse said. "The most amazing thing is that we have the smallest (band administrative) staff in DeSoto County. There's just the two of us." As a result, Morse said he and Kim Hallmark had to rely on the leadership of the band's 25 seniors; and

WHEREAS, Lewisburg High School band students say performing with the band has become a way of life. They practice for two hours after school one day a week and 12 to 14 hours during the week, including their fourth block time period, and band camp that last for two weeks during the summer; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi High School Activities Association and the Mississippi Band Association began having this series of competitions 9 years ago. This State Title honors the Lewisburg Band program's new tradition in musical excellence; and it is with great pride that we recognize the special accomplishments and attitude of this outstanding group of student musicians, who have brought honor to their school, their parents, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Lewisburg High School "Patriot" Marching Band and its directors upon winning the "2012 Class 4A State Marching Band Championship," its third title, and extend our best wishes for continued success in their future musical and academic endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Band Director Mel Morse, Lewisburg High School Principal James Brady, forwarded to the DeSoto County Board of Education, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.