Music provides a sense of belonging unlike any other high school activity. So while I am continually inspired and moved by the music I create, I want to write about what music activities in high school do for kids beyond just artistic expression. Not every freshman student is equipped for the social structure of high school, and I was one of those kids. For so many students, music is the "soft place to land" that they can't find anywhere else in the school. For me, band was structured socialization; it taught me how to interact with my peers to not only achieve a common goal, but also to have fun, lead, and make new friends. I devote hours upon hours each week to it, and it is absolutely a labor of love. I adore playing the trumpet, but what is more important to me is the tight-knit musical community that I belong to. It is within that community that I hope I have made a positive impact. Band relies heavily on student leadership, with so many students under the oversight of one teacher. Seniors are often asked to lead their sections in the absence of the director, and this year that duty fell to me. I was entrusted with overseeing the entire brass section, numbering over two dozen students, half of whom are freshmen. I remember being young and unsure at that age. In my district, eighth graders have opportunities to interact with the high school band in preparation their freshman year. Due to the pandemic, I did not have that experience. I went in completely blind, and trumpet upperclassmen were a great source of comfort and guidance for me. I knew that I wanted to be that for this years’ freshmen. I try to be there for them, both as an instructor and as an older-sister figure. I am always there to answer questions, and lend them equipment and advice whenever they need it. It makes me so incredibly happy when they feel confident enough to smile at me in the hallways or confess how much they love being in band. I am also deeply proud of the fact that this is the first year no brass player has dropped the class. While I cannot take full credit, I hope that I played a role. Band is an incredible community, and I am so honored to continue this tradition of leadership.