By Thomas Sellers Jr.
The 2020 Millington Central High School Fall Band Concert was held Dec. 15 in the Millington Performing Arts Center. The students were under the direction of Kreston Smith and assistants Aaron Arnold (assistant director of bands and Millington Middle School band), Eli Guverra (percussion tech) and Aubrey Berryman (instrumental visual tech).
MCHS Principal and Deputy Superintendent Mark Neal welcomed the limited amount of guests to the annual performance of the band. Neal and Smith noted the current conditions of the world and how it effected the turnout and seating for the 2020 concert.
Smith thanks the parents for their sacrifices throughout the past few months and contributions to the program. He also shined a spotlight on businesses like Theresa Cook, affiliate broker for EXP Realty and Patriot Bank. Also recognized on the program were Amy Smith (photographer), Ben Parker (sound tech), Dynamix Physical Therapy, ETC Awards, Madelyn “Maddi” Horn (light tech), Millington Area Chamber of Commerce, Millington Education Foundation, Millington NJROTC, The Millington Star, Millington Municipal Schools, Paradise Travels, Reed Family Dentistry and Shirey Szalay (Facebook Live).
The highlight of the night was the students performing. The MCHS Band opened with the National Anthem and the Marches of the Armed Forces. Then under the direction of drum major Gena Ann Parker the band presented the 2020 Football Season Pep Tunes including: Notre Dame Fight Song, Big Ballin’, Shout it Out, Go Big Blue, 7 Nation Army, Halftime, Hey Song, I’m So Glad and C3.
Smith and the program used the stage for a couple of award presentations.
Quinn Cox was honored with the John Philip Sousa Award and Kapell Eugene was honored with the Patrick S. Gimore Award.
Then to get everybody in the holiday heart-set, the band played Hard Rockin Holiday Parade to close out the performance portion.
The 2020-21 Millington Central High School Band members are Gena Ann Parker, Caleb Plunk, Taliyah Chalmers, Noel Rostro, Jerry Theuns, Emily Parsons, Mallory Howard, Noah Escue, Krista Reedy, William Howard IV, Aniyah Moore, Yarely Carrera, Christian Wallace, Morgan Sharp, Maggie Escue, Chloe Brewer, Blair Waldon, Maya Carter, Christina Cook, Ethan Stafford, Jaylen Carver, Evan Loo, Allison Kiefer, Peyton Pace, Daniel Young, Taniya Chisum, Jeremiah Moore, Tyler Bryson, Iwalani Friskillo, Taylor Sherrill, Andrew Carlsen, Jacob Lovejoy, Elizabeth Vazquez, Telise Deener, Vivian Ward, Nathan Dickson, Amy Kincaid, Ryan Winans and Verimayian Britt.
