Oftentimes, behind every astonishing visual arts production is a team of dedicated students constantly working to ensure the success of every event—marching band is no different. It is one of many visual and performing arts pathways that Glen A. Wilson High School (GAWHS) offers, and is formally called the Royal Wilson Marching Alliance (RWMA). Additionally, the student leadership operating within the program is referred to as Alliance Council.
The Vice President of this council is Amy Wang (11), and she is responsible for a number of the operations that take place within the program.
“I am primarily responsible for organizing our monthly fundraisers, announcing our events, and co-running our weekly Alliance Council meetings,” she states.
Now, Wang says that she can confidently handle all the tasks that follow the nature of her job, becoming more confident in her speaking abilities in front of others as well as her ability to take initiative during meetings and make decisions on the fly.
Wang had run for the position of vice president back in May 2023, but the real test began during that summer.
“It has been about 2 months since I took on the role of vice president of the RWMA, starting during band camp about a month ago during the summer. Before becoming VP, I had no experience leading a team, and running for this position was the first time I had had the opportunity to take on a leadership role.” she explains.
Despite her initial inexperience in this particular role, Wang acknowledges her strengths in organizational skills, which she credits her success to.
“I can never go a day without my personal planner. A tool I use is Google Calendar, which is mainly for keeping track of our upcoming band programs. I input all scheduled activities– rehearsals, competitions, birthdays, events, etc.–and organize them by color.” Wang details.
She later explains that she had always made it a constant priority to stay organized and on top of her subjects. This habit benefitted her in the end, since she was able to take on larger roles at school while maintaining a realistic schedule.
While balancing a leadership role, a busy rehearsal schedule, as well as two Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Wang observes that it is easy to fall into a habit of procrastination.
“Some struggles of this year would definitely be being able to juggle staying on top of my harder classes and going to band rehearsals/competitions, which are very time-consuming. I think that this school year has started off a little shaky, but I am starting to get used to my AP classes and procrastinating a lot less, which is good. I am looking forward to this year and I have high hopes that it is going to be filled with great experiences.” she says.
Thus, ever quick to adapt with the steady acceleration in her coursework, Wang still manages to stay on track. “As of now, I have barely been able to keep up with everything that has been going on with everything that is happening. I’ve been striving to work faster to get as much of my schoolwork as I can get done in class so that I can use the extra time at home to study and learn ahead.” she explains.
For those who tend to fall into similar spirals of procrastination, Wang advises to prioritize certain tasks first, even if you can’t get everything done by today. “Some advice for people who easily procrastinate, like myself, is to start by focusing on the important tasks that align with your goals and to not ‘make it up later’ because it will eventually lead to procrastination. Also, take advantage of any resources available that can enhance your learning such as textbooks and video lessons. Keep working towards your goals even if you do not see results immediately – your hard work and focus will pay off!” she encourages.
Since starting her third year of highschool, Wang has been through many cycles of schoolwork and assignments, with varying levels of productivity. She acknowledges that it is tempting to put less interesting tasks off for “later”- some arbitrary date between now and when it was supposed to get done. However, she realizes that many tasks have to get done sooner or later, so it was more convenient for her to get them done while she had the time.
After days and days of assignments, homework, and quizzes, Wang is still grateful to have been a part of the RWMA. “Joining the RWMA is an amazing learning experience for me. This program has really helped shape me into who I am. I have met so many wonderful people and made lots of friends. I have learned so much, not only in music but as a person as well. You get to truly connect with other people and experience something you cannot really put into words.”
Wang had joined the RWMA in her freshman year in the front ensemble, learning to play a variety of percussive instruments. Throughout sophomore and now junior year, she has continued playing the flute.
Even outside of the RWMA, Wang is still drawn to visual arts in her spare time, making it a priority to draw wherever and whenever she can. “I have many hobbies that I enjoy doing, but I mainly draw, collect stationary (I may have a slight sticker obsession), and watch animated shows. I have been trying to draw consistently when I have free time and practice drawing different mediums that I have never tried before. I take a sketchbook with me to school or whenever I’m going out somewhere. I have accumulated a long list of books that I want to read and I occasionally visit the library after school to find them and explore other interesting topics.” she says.
Within her own hobbies, Wang has set goals for herself there as well, vowing to expand on her art and to read more often. “A goal that I am working towards is to expand the kind of art I create for my portfolio. On top of that, I have set a goal to read at least one novel every month.”
On occasion, she posts some of her drawings on her private Instagram account.
Adding up all of her current responsibilities, it is no doubt that Wang’s schedule is a tough one to face. Despite her success in her previous academic years, Wang confesses that she is not yet sure of her future. “Being honest, I’m unsure of what the future is going to offer. I feel like change is both a scary but exciting thought for me because there is no destined outcome.”
