Over 285 Northport High School students took part in the return of the school’s annual sleep-away marching band camp during the week of August 2. The 5-day long experience took place at Long Island University and brought together members of the marching band, Tigerettes and flag line team for a week of hard work and more importantly, fun times.
Throughout the day students practiced their routines and learned the latest music for their performance for families on August 6 and the upcoming homecoming halftime show in September. From instrument practice to reviewing the dance routines, they worked hard for several hours a day to perfect the show.
Beyond learning what steps to take and notes to hit, students bonded over a shared experience and grew their personal relationships with each other. During the pandemic, members of the school’s music staff, including Marching Band and Symphonic Winds director Lynn Cromeyn pulled off the near impossible task of arranging a local band camp at Veteran’s Park; however, the camp was not a sleepover experience, which plays a large role in the bond students form with each other over the course of the week.
Senior Ava Mir shared her excitement for the return of the true camp experience. “To be able to hang out and socialize at night and still get so much work done during the day is a really memorable experience,” she said.
One tradition that students couldn’t wait to bring back was a prank on the camp staffers, including Ms. Cromeyn. As a nod to seniors of 2019, who pulled off a surprise “proposal” to Ms. Cromeyn, students took it a step further and held a mock wedding instead.
Ms. Cromeyn expressed how thrilled she was to have students back together. From themed days to a DJ performance at night, she said her favorite part of the week was watching the bonds form and seeing students develop friendships before the school year even begins.