Five Mount Pleasant High School Band students earned UIL State first division medals at the State UIL Solo and Ensemble contest held in and around the Austin area on May 28-30.

To earn a first division medal, these students logged many hours of practice over the past semester on difficult musical selections chosen by the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL). They then had to perform the work before a judge, a challenge for any young musician. The first division awards they earned represent a superior performance and are the same as a first-place finish.

Earning UIL state medals were the ensemble of Makiah Gholston, Ilse Ojendis, Angel Quistian, Tawnny Swanson, and Donovan Young. They performed a percussion ensemble of “Maple Leaf Rag” by Joplin.

The MPISD band program is under the direction of Dr. Theodus Luckett, Karen Luckett, Jamey Sterrett, Brian Bass, Alicia Hargett, and Sheri Sullivan.

Photo left to right: Ilse Ojendis, Tawnny Swanson, Donovan Young, Makiah Gholston, Angel Quistian