In the heat and humidity of summer, students have many choices of how to fill their days. While some lay around indoors all day, others attend summer camps to prepare for the upcoming school year.

“[Camp’s] kind of like getting a leg up on the people who didn’t go,” sophomore colorguard member Meganne Morrand said.

Including the colorguard and dance team, band director Joel Gittle called together all of his marching band students to attend a camp lasting from July 27 to the 31.

“[Band Camp is] always the best experience and you have the best time that you wish it would never end,” junior clarinet player Mackenzie Reeder said.

Over one hundred students attended Gittle’s camp, which consisted of learning marching maneuvers and music to perform at the home football games.

“Even as a veteran, I feel that I could’ve used the practice,” Morrand said. “I can guarantee that [the freshmen] are doing loads better than my freshman year. They are catching on with the marching really fast.”

As well as Gittle’s camp, choir teacher Chad Pape hosted two week-long camps for his small-ensemble choirs.

“You show up [to Varsity Camp] if you can,” junior Josiah Wilson said. “It’s not like you get kicked out, it’s more you’ll just be confused and lost the first and second days of school.”

Both Varsity and POPS met together on Aug. 3 to 7 to work through their performances for the school year.

“POPS [Camp] mostly consisted of dancing,” junior Sydney Morrison said. “We actually barely touched any of the literature, as opposed to Varsity which is strictly focused on that.”

Although these camps took up the student’s freedom, participants enjoyed their time at these music based camps, claiming that it was one of the best times of their high school lives.

“I love my band family and I love marching,” Morrand said. “I wouldn’t change it for the world.”