Away at camp

The Jay County High School Marching Patriots held band camp this week at Taylor University in Upland.

Each day, band members appeared at Turner Stadium football field around 9 a.m. to do warmup stretches and run a few laps. Then, they moved into practicing parts of the routine for their 2021 show, “Of Fire and Ice.” In the afternoons, the groups played through the music, and gathered a few hours later to put it all together.

Temperatures had been hot and humid the first three days and cooled off Thursday morning after some rain. The heat began to reappear in early afternoon and reached the mid 80s.

Students pushed through the sweltering heat, making sure to stay hydrated as needed. They shared inside jokes throughout the day and joked around with their “Meme Day” outfits to keep things light.

Despite the heat and rigorous schedule, band director Kelly Smelter said he hadn’t heard one complaint the whole week. One girl –– 14-year-old Courtney Harris –– had been sick on several occasions, but begged to stay and practice the show. She later explained she didn’t want to miss out on band camp.

Later, the group gathered under a large tree at the side of the field to hear a few words from band members who won’t be returning after this year.

“Even if you think you’ve reached your highest, you can always go a little further,” said senior Russel West as she paused to take a deep breath. Others in the crowd covered their faces or wiped at fresh tears.

The Marching Patriots will be competing Saturday in the Drums at Winchester — they take the field at 7:24 p.m. — and Aug.6 at the Indiana State Fair.