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They're trashing our trophies


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Leaders of a North Georgia high school are apologizing for throwing away trophies belonging to the marching band.

Video posted on social media shocked former members of the Southeast Whitfield High School marching band.

"They're filming students taking boxes of awards and throwing them into the trash like it didn't even matter," Lindzy Reed said.

Reed was part of the Raiders Marching Band from 2007-2011.

She said several alumni started contacting district leaders when the video surfaced Tuesday wanting to know why they weren't given a chance to take the awards before tossing them in the trash.

"It's very disrespectful to the people who had come before them who had fought so hard and went through so many hours of training, so many different days and years and they just told them don't worry about it," Reed said.

We took the concerns to Whitfield County Superintendent Dr. Judy Gilreath.

She released the following statement:

"Many of the trophies that were initially discarded were participation trophies that did not have on them a year or even the name of the school. The band program at Southeast High School has a long and successful history. Discarding the trophies was a mistake. The band director and principal did not realize the impact this would have on the Southeast community. All trophies were retrieved last night and we will make a place to store them."    - Dr. Judy Gilreath

Southeast Whitfield High School Principal Denise Pendley also apologized through the following statement:

"I have been part of Raider Nation for a long time. I am a proud graduate of Southeast High School. I spent six years teaching science at Southeast and have been an administrator for 8 years. I am fully vested in the school and community. I apologize for offending the band alumni from Southeast. That was never my intention. The trophies that were discarded had been housed in the band room and were very old. We kept the most current trophies and discarded the older ones. The trophies that were discarded have been retrieved and are now in the building. We will be discussing where the trophies can be displayed to show our Raider Pride. Again, I apologize for upsetting the community."     - Principal Denise Pendley

Reed hopes the school finds a proper way to store the awards and the band continues making history.

Reed said she and other alumni plan on going to the next school board meeting in December to try and find a solution.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/39439189/schoolleaders-apologize-for-throwing-away-georgia-high-schools-band-trophies?fbclid=IwAR2DsodIIrn9xQqNN1C34mBGxzbqezsXTJuVKBU_79P5MU-b5nFYNVm_ApI

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Just musing... what would happen if that would have happened to the Football trophies and awards in a building? People fired, Even more anger and scorn heaped on the people who thought that was a brilliant idea to get rid of history and heritage? Ooooo.... yet another example of that old double standard at work that caused me to love so many "competent" school administrators to death when I worked in the schools.:whistle:

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Storage of trophies can be a problem. In most schools space is display limited, trophies collect dust, the whole nine yards. There are good solutions. One, if the trophies are older and celebrate a significant event, contact the local historical society who might make it part of a display. You can also invite the group that won the trophy to an event, have it be a reunion, and raffle it off. You can also box them for most of the year and highlight certain trophies at certain times. 

If you have to dispose, be an equal opportunity disposer. Do it year by year and not by activity. All activities are important to the participants. If you’re an alum and hear your trophies have been discarded and you’re upset, when was the last time you were at your high school? Do you support booster organizations? Do you attend reunions? Schools that are supported are usually more open to honoring alums and the past.

Now for me, my high school can’t throw away the band trophies from my time. We didn’t win any!:bigsmile:

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What does this have to do with DCI World Class?

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2 hours ago, Tim K said:

Storage of trophies can be a problem. In most schools space is display limited, trophies collect dust, the whole nine yards. There are good solutions. One, if the trophies are older and celebrate a significant event, contact the local historical society who might make it part of a display. You can also invite the group that won the trophy to an event, have it be a reunion, and raffle it off. You can also box them for most of the year and highlight certain trophies at certain times.  

Joe and Felicia Dowling had most of the Boston Crusaders trophies and flags from there time with the corps.  When they had to get rid of them, word got out to get in touch with Joe and see what was still available.  

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53 minutes ago, Ghost said:

Joe and Felicia Dowling had most of the Boston Crusaders trophies and flags from there time with the corps.  When they had to get rid of them, word got out to get in touch with Joe and see what was still available.  

In the years Boston had no home, 70's at least,  any trophies won or awarded were given to the MM's.

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50 minutes ago, LabMaster said:

In the years Boston had no home, 70's at least,  any trophies won or awarded were given to the MM's.

I think that was pretty common in the past. I marched in a CYO band in the Boston area, and my sisters marched with a drill team that competed in Mayflower and Eastern Mass, and for both the band and drill team, trophies won at competitions were used as awards at the end of the year banquets. I know in the case of the band, circuit championship trophies and awards from major events were always displayed in what was called “the trophy room” but I have no idea what became of them when the band disbanded and the parish hall was sold to build a new one. I know they are not on display in the new building.

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Most of the trophies did not have name or year on them. Hope there was a small sign or something when they were on display at the school. 

Historical society not even a good bet some places. IIRC when the person who had a local corps trophies wanted to donate to the county society he got told not enough space sorry. Not sure if that included a VFW National trophy that was about 4 foot high

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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4 hours ago, SFZFAN said:

What does this have to do with DCI World Class?

About as much as 24 pages on BOA/Tarpon Spring, but that's DCP I guess.

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When I was a director I used to remove the engraved plates off the trophies for that season and mount them on a plaque with a picture of the band and year. This would be mounted on the band room wall. I would then give the trophies to the senoir band members. 

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