[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17823]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING THE COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND FOR THEIR 
          ACHIEVEMENTS AT THE 2010 STATE MARCHING BAND CONTEST

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KENNY MARCHANT

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 17, 2010

  Mr. MARCHANT. Madam Speaker, I seek recognition to congratulate the 
Coppell High School Marching Band from Coppell, Texas for their 
outstanding season of competition and reaching the Finals in the 2010 
5A State Marching Band Contest.
  The 350-member Coppell High School Marching Band has been a great 
source of pride for the citizens of Coppell for many years. Since the 
1990s, the band has brought home gold and bronze medals from the State 
Championship, performed in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, won 
several regional marching contests, marched St. Patrick's Day parades 
in New York and Dublin, and continued a tradition of excellence that 
develops character, discipline, and leadership on and off the marching 
field.
  In early August, not only will you find the football team beginning 
two-a-days at Coppell High, but you will likewise see the marching band 
practicing twice a day in the school parking lot. As a long-time 
resident of North Texas, I can tell you being outside hours at a time 
in 100-degree heat is the last thing most people would want to do in 
August. But every year, this dedicated group of students braves the 
elements and commits themselves entirely in the spirit of competition, 
their love of music, and devotion toward each other, their school, and 
their town.
  It is this level of dedication and hard work that earned Coppell the 
honor of performing in the Finals of the 5A State Marching Band Contest 
this year. Reaching that point required several rounds of competition 
where, out of the 250 public high schools under the 5A classification, 
only 10 reached the Finals in the Alamo Dome in San Antonio on the 
night of November 2, 2010. Though Coppell did not take a place on the 
podium that night, the honor and thrill of being one of the last 
remaining bands should be a source of pride and respect for all the 
students who participated.
  I want to specifically congratulate Scott Mason, Director of Bands 
for the Coppell Independent School District, his outstanding staff of 
directors and instructors, the drum majors, the section and squad 
leaders, and captains of the colorguard and drumline for leading their 
students through another successful year. Their continued 
accomplishments are well-deserved and hard-won.
  I wish further success for these young people in their future 
pursuits in music and in life. I hope the important lessons learned by 
these students will remain with them forever.

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