With the 2021-2022 school year coming to a close, different clubs and organizations are beginning to choose their presidents, vice presidents, officers, and leaders for next school year.  This was the case for the award-winning St. Charles West marching band this week.  This week, the marching band held their auditions for the next drum major for the 2022-2023 school year.

The drum major is the head of the marching band, and performs duties such as conducting and leading the marching band.  For St. Charles West, the 2021-2022 drum major was current senior Noah Clark, who led the marching warriors to 14 trophies throughout the duration of the marching band season.  This leaves immense shoes for the next drum major to fill.

The drum major selected for the 2022-2023 school year is current junior Scott Stratton-Henderson.  Scott has been apart of bands for the last seven years within the City of St. Charles School District, playing saxophone at Jefferson Intermediate, Hardin Middle, and St. Charles West High schools.  Scott joined the concert band his freshman year, also participating in the jazz band his freshman year and participating in marching band for the past three years at St. Charles West.  Taking all of this into consideration, Scott is the perfect candidate to continue the Warrior’s legacy.

“We hear a lot about the glory days in band,” says Scott Stratton-Henderson, “I want to influence the band in the right direction and return it to the glory days”.

Scott has also had some extremely memorable experiences in marching band, which have paved the way for who he is now.

“I feel like my freshman year, I had a lot of options to choose from.  But because of the culture of the band in middle school, I continued to do it in high school.  By auditioning for drum major, I wanted to give back to the people who made my band experience so great.  I’m filled with joy, pride, and determination knowing I’m the next drum major,” says Scott Stratton-Henderson.

Scott was also influenced by past drum majors with their wisdom, expertise, and experience.

“Scott’s gonna do good,” says former drum major Noah Clark, “I have a lot of hope for the growth of the program under his leadership.  The numbers have started growing again, so hopefully the numbers will continue to grow and and continue the legacy as one of the best bands out there”.

With the future of the marching warriors in Scott’s hands, the program will continue to flourish, succeed, and triumph in their future endeavors.  Congratulations Scott!

The Warriors will perform starting August 2022 for the marching band season.