Pride. There's just nothing like it. As I sat recently in Chicago at the Mid-West Clinic's "Finale Concert" featuring the Palmetto Concert Band from Columbia I was overwhelmed with it. I thought about my first trip to the Mid-West in 1977. Oh how young I was - how green - how excited. Well after 22 yearly trips and many concerts, clinics, and exhibits later - I am more fired up than ever.

Everywhere I went at the convention this year people were talking about what is going on in South Carolina! Tremendous growth in all areas of our band division! Our All-State clinicians for the next 2 years are ready to visit our tiny state of under 4 million people to work with our students. Heck, there's more people than that just in the city of Chicago. We are on the move and people in our profession are taking notice. Pride.

The Bands of America folks are genuinely impressed with the facilities and the interest shown in their upcoming Regional Concert Festival at Furman University. They feel that it will be a great venue and may lead to even bigger and better things in the future. And having two great bands (Lexington and Irmo) from our state in the BOA National Concert Festival. Is that great or what! The festival travel people are talking about the James F. Byrnes High School Band in the Rose Bowl Parade and the Silver Bluff High School Band in the Macy's Parade. What great representation from little South Carolina. And what about the Irmo High School Band winning the most recent "Sudler Flag of Honor". Everywhere you turn - people are talking about the bands of South Carolina.

The list goes on and on and I am sure that I left someone out, but here's the bottom line. Fact - we are no longer considered the little state stuck in between North Carolina and Georgia. Fact - we have some of the best band directors and music students in the United States. Fact - over 40 of our own teachers were on stage in Chicago with the Palmetto Band playing the last concert of the century. What a great band and what a great bunch of people - our people - from the little state of South Carolina. Are we there yet? nope - not even close. Are we moving on up? yep - real fast. Be proud.

The upcoming SCMEA In-Service Conference in Greenville will provide us another great opportunity to hear the excellent work of some of our finest middle and high school bands in our state. It will be yet another chance to "recharge" our batteries for the stretch run. It will also be our only opportunity of the year to make any needed changes in our policies and regulations through our committee system at our annual business meeting. Come and share the pride.

See you on the road.