Spintronix Virtual Summer Camp 2020: Answering burning Spinthusiast questions...

Frequently asked questions about our camp include:

How much does it cost?

Do I have to live in the same state/country as you to attend?

If I can't make it to the time of the live, can I get a video?

What service will these sessions use?

Will the design information help me in real life?

How do I sign up?

Where are the links for the quizzes of what level I should take?

Who is teaching the classes?

Can I take coach classes as a student or student classes as a coach?

When will we receive the e-mails with the links to the sessions?



All of these and so much more are answered in our live video above! Enjoy!

<3 Jackie

Coach Class Instructor Bios - Spintronix VIRTUAL Summer Camp 2020

Jackie Brown

    Jackie has been involved in color guard and the marching arts since 2001 as a performer, instructor, and judge. She is most well known for her instructional video series on YouTube titled "#HowToColorGuard" and as a freelance color guard choreographer & technician across the country. Her most notable performance resume includes membership in the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps world class color guard, and dancing in the Ceremonies of the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As an instructor, she has coached a large number of high school and independent teams of varying size and location across the western hemisphere, including Legends Drum and Bugle Corps, Spintronix Indoor Guard, and the Brazilian Vanguard. She has been judging color guard and winter guard across the central United States since 2010, a volunteer staff member for the Macy's Great American Marching Band since 2009, and executive director of Spintronix Color Guard, a company providing color guard educational services, since 2008.

 

Sarah Sacco

Mrs. Sarah Sacco has been the Director of Bands at Ava High School since 2008. Mrs. Sacco attended Missouri State University for her undergraduate Bachelors in Music Education. During her time at Missouri State, she was a very active member of the PRIDE Band, serving as a section leader for two years. As an undergraduate, Mrs. Sacco served one year as the Missouri Collegiate Music Educators (CMENC) President at Missouri State and another year as the Southwest Seven State-Regional CMENC President. Mrs. Sacco was also an active member of Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity. She served many officers during her time in college including Vice-President of Ritual and Fraternity Education, Yearbook chair, and Service chair. Mrs. Sacco is also an active member of the Springfield Sigma Alpha Iota Alumnae chapter where she has served as Sergeant at Arms, Vice President of Ritual and Fraternity Education, and President. Mrs. Sacco is also the Tri-M State Chair on the Missouri Music Educators Association Advisory Board and the Southwestern Division Representative to the NAfME Music Honor Society Advisory Council. As the Tri-M chair, she organized the first-ever Missouri Tri-M Summit which is an annual event for high school music students. While at Ava High, Mrs. Sacco completed her Master's Degree in Secondary Education Curriculum Instruction from Drury University.

    Mrs. Sacco serves as the Director of Bands for Ava High school. Together with her husband, Chris Sacco, they co-direct the Ava Pride Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Pep Band, and the Middle School Band. During their time at Ava High School their students have been selected to perform in the District #9 Honor Bands, Missouri All-State Honor Band, The Missouri State Lion’s Band, The Macy’s Great American Marching Band, The Bands of America Marching Band, and The Army All American Marching Band. Their students are also actively involved in the Missouri State Evaluative Festival solo and ensemble contest earning top ratings in both district and state performances. Instrumental ensembles under Mrs. Sacco’s direction consistently earn superior ratings at the Missouri State Evaluative Festival and marching band festivals.  She is also a certified adjudicator with the Missouri State High School Activities Association. Mrs. Sacco was also selected by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States to receive the National Citizenship Education Teacher Recognition Award as well as the Loyalty Day Award. She was also the 2020 First Place winner for Ava VFW Post 5993, VFW District 18 and VFW Department of Missouri for the Smart/Maher Teacher Award for grades 9-12. Mrs. Sacco's professional affiliations/memberships include NAfME (The National Association for Music Education), MMEA (The Missouri Music Educators Association), MBA (Missouri Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters' Fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota.

 

Chris Sacco

Mr. Christopher J. Sacco grew up in DeSoto, MO and graduated from DeSoto High School in 1999. After high school Chris studied and played trumpet under Dr. Matthew McCready and Joseph Pappas while attending Jefferson College in Hillsboro, MO. Before completing his degree, he was selected to perform with the All-State Collegiate Band, under the direction of Frank Ticheli. In 2004, he received an Associate of Arts degree with an emphasis in Instrumental Music.

Mr. Sacco then began working toward a Bachelor of Music Education at Missouri State University. While in attendance he studied trumpet under Dr. Grant Peters, was section leader of the PRIDE trumpets, and performed in several ensembles including Jerry Hoover’s Jazz Band and the University Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Belva Prather. While in the Wind Ensemble, Chris was fortunate enough to perform at the CBDNA (College Band Directors National Association) Conference at Baylor University in Waco, TX as well as at the MMEA (Missouri Music Educators Association) Conference. During his time at Missouri State University, he was an active marching and brass technician for several high schools in and around the Springfield area. He graduated summa cum laude in 2007.

    In 2013, while serving as the Associate Director of Bands for the Ava R-I School District, Chris completed his Masters in Secondary Education through Drury University. He is currently in his 13th year at Ava, where he co-directs with his wife Sarah. His duties include:  Beginning Band, Intermediate Band, Middle School Concert Band, Middle School Jazz Band, High School Jazz Band, and assisting with the High School Symphonic and Marching Bands. His Middle School Concert Band, Middle School Jazz Band, and High School Jazz Band have received superior ratings and top placements every year at various festivals throughout the state. Mr. Sacco’s applied students have consistently received Honor I Ratings at both the District and State level for the past 12 years. The overall program has more than doubled in size and success since Chris and his wife arrived in 2008. Since then, they have had students perform in the All-District Bands, All-State Band, Missouri Lions Band, Macy’s Great American Marching Band, Army All-American Marching Band, and the Bands of America Marching Band. 

In January of 2019, Chris was selected as a recipient of the John East “Spirit of Orpheus” Mentor Award for his work with young music educators throughout the South Central region of the state. He is a two time recipient of the National Citizenship Education Teacher Recognition Award as well as the Loyalty Day Award by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. He has also been “spotlighted” by the Ava R-I Board of Education on numerous occasions for his work with his students.

Mr. Sacco’s professional affiliations and memberships include MMEA (Missouri Music Educators Association), NAfME (National Association for Music Education), MBA (Missouri Bandmasters Association), MOAJE (Missouri Association for Jazz Education), Phi Beta Mu (International Bandmasters Fraternity) and Phi Theta Kappa. Chris currently serves as the Vice President of Jazz for the Missouri Music Educators Association, the Band Vice President in the South Central District of the Missouri Music Educators Association, the Event Coordinator for the South Central Association All-Conference Honor Band, and is also an active certified adjudicator with the Missouri State High School Activities Association. 

Outside of music education, Chris enlisted in the Missouri Air National Guard in March of 2000, where he completed an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. He also served as the Drum Major of the Drum and Bugle Corp at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX. While serving 12 years in the 131st Civil Engineering Squadron, he was active during Operations Noble Eagle, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom, where he served in various locations throughout the Middle East.

 

Justin Surface

Justin Surface was born and raised in Indiana, where as a middle school and high school student he pursued both percussion and color guard/winter guard. In his Junior year of high school Justin began his teaching career by joining the staff of multiple local Indiana high schools. Upon graduating at the top of his class, he pursued color guard performance by marching with the Cavaliers and Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. Since graduating high school, Justin has taught at several successful programs culminating in 3 marching band finalist performances, 6 gold medal winter guard champions, numerous Indiana State Finalist participant groups, and 3 WGI World Championship groups just to highlight a few. Justin is also a formally trained color guard just with WGI adjudicator certification. In total Justin has been teaching for 15 years. When not teaching or judging color guard, Justin works full time as a Supervisor for Kohls.

Justin joined the staff of Spintronix Indoor Guard as show designer in 2016, at led the team to two IRA Missouri State Champion titles in 2017 and 2018. Thanks to his efforts, the team has moved up in class and even attended Winter Guard International events.

 

Brent Becker

The designs of artist-educator Brent W. Becker have had tremendous impact on the current look of band uniforms. His portfolio of work demonstrates that it is possible to innovate while preserving tradition.

For Brent, a uniform does more than create uniformity or present an image – it is an expression of power and unity that echoes the passion of performance and reflects the unique visual heritage of the marching activity. Brent has recently worked with The Blue Stars, Santa Clara Vanguard, Madison Scouts, Pacific Crest, and Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as many of the nation’s top marching ensembles in the development of new uniforms.

Brent’s incredible drawing abilities; experience as a performer and educator; and, his knowledge of historical and contemporary uniform design laid the groundwork for his career as the Design Consultant at Stanbury Uniforms – a world-wide leader in uniform manufacturing.

Brent W. Becker joined the St. Louis Brass Band with decades of performance experience from several academic and community music organizations. A member of Phi Mu Alpha SINFONIA, and an alumnus of Bradley University (Peoria, IL) and Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, IL), Brent has enjoyed the honor of performing with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps (Rosemont, IL), the Peoria Symphony Orchestra (Peoria, IL), and Sterling Municipal Band (Sterling, IL). He is currently a euphonium with the St. Charles Municipal Band (St. Charles, MO) and St. Charles Community College Concert Band (Cottleville, MO).

Outside of musical pursuits, Brent is and award-winning multi-disciplinary visual artist, designer, and arts educator. Recently, he has exhibited artwork through Art Saint Louis and the Saint Louis Artist's Guild. Brent’s drawing and mixed-media work was selected for the 36th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition. He currently instructs Printmaking at St. Charles Community College and is the Design Consultant for Stanbury Uniforms. In his role with Stanbury, Brent has the unique opportunity to lend his visual expertise to renown performing ensembles, including university marching bands and several notable drum corps.

Patrick Porter

Patrick is a flight attendant for Frontier Airlines. In performer positions at Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando and Celebrity Cruise Line, he honed abilities in my attention to safety and customer service, providing a solid foundation for instructing color guard. His dependable, energetic, outgoing nature, and eagerness to please have been recognized by all three employment positions. His experience as a Production Manager, dance captain and stilt trainer has developed his leadership and workplace safety skills. He also volunteers with several high schools and non-profit organizations, including Horizon Independent, where he was a corner stone of organization development, Spintrionix Indoor Guard as both a coach instructor and student instructor, and Winter Guard International. His main goal in working with the performing arts is to inspire youth to reach their utmost personal growth and potential through their passion in the performing arts. 

Spintronix VIRTUAL Summer Camp

HAPPY LAUNCH DAY!

Today opens the registration for the Spintronix VIRTUAL Summer Camp event. We are so excited to be able to offer this service because even though it doesn't take the place of the in-person summer camp we had to cancel this year, at least it offers us the opportunity to connect and continue our mission of spreading color guard education all over the globe.

This blog post is just a general overview of what to expect throughout the camp week, keep checking back for more information such as instructor bios, attendance tips, and more.

July 6-10, 2020

Google Meet

Daily class times (all times are Central Daylight Time):

Coach classes 10:00am

Beginner technique/choreography 1:00pm

Intermediate technique/choreography 3:00pm

Advanced technique/choreography 5:00pm

Class offerings

MONDAY Flag design, Dance

TUESDAY Leadership, Rifle

WEDNESDAY Show design, Sabre

THURSDAY Uniform design, Flag

FRIDAY Creating an Independent Guard, Airblade

Cost

$6 per class

Use code FULLEXPERIENCE at checkout to get 5 classes for $25

Staff - search their social media handles to find them on Instagram!

Spintronix Director Jackie Brown @spintronixguard

Ama Adams @ama_marie97

Brent Becker @bbecker_design

Greg Burrell @gb_cool

Haakon Burntvedt @haakonb87

Anna Carter @annamcarter

Allie Davison @princeallie94

Brandon Fink @finkbrandonc

Robert Jordan @thatguywhospins

Angie Mayhue @angie_mayhue

Patrick Porter

Brittany Roberts @mzroberts511

Sarah Sacco @hunny1050

Chris Sacco

Justin Surface

Sam Wallace @leighace1313

What level class should you take? Here are some quizzes created by Sam Wallace to help you decide which of our class levels best lines up with your skills:

Dance

Weapon 

(it says rifle, but you can assume rifle, sabre, or airblade!)

Flag

Ready to go? Register here: https://www.spintronixguard.org/events-1/spintronix-virtual-summer-camp

<3 Jackie

Product Review: Nyx Liquid Suede

    Hey Spinthusiasts!  I released a video yesterday about one of my favorite lipsticks.  It's Nyx Liquid Suede in color Cherry Skies.  Personally I love everything about this, so I'll rehash what I said in my video as well as some gorgeous pictures of me wearing it. (I promise other people have too, but you gotta respect your student's privacy!)

    In my videos I rank the products in 4 different categories: price, durability, form factor, and my rating.  Each of those gets a score and then I total them up to give it a letter grade.  Let's talk about what each of my ratings entails

Price:  Is the price fair for what you're getting?  If the item is only going to last for a season or less, I don't want to pay more than 10 or 15 bucks for it.  I don't know about you, but I want to only purchase quality items that will last me for a while.  This lipstick is $7 in most stores.  A tube will last through the 6 month expiration date, even if you wear it daily.  There's tons of product in that little tube, and depending on how long you keep it, it could get you through multiple seasons.  Honestly?  That's a win in my book.

Durability:  So typically I'm going to use this category to see if your gloves are going to last or if that flag is going to be nasty by the end of your first contest.  But for makeup this will be where I judge how long it stays on your face.  Is it gonna last between prelims, water breaks, getting in and out of costume, eating lunch, finals, and then still look cute for pictures afterwards?  Absolutely.  You might need a quick touch up right before finals, but I really think this is a last all day kind of lipstick.  

    As I said in my video, it stains incredibly well.  It doesn't dry hard so (if you have super chapped lips like me) it won't show the world the creases in your lips.  It might come off on your flag, but so little comes off at a time, you don't really notice it.  (Plus, your favorite stain remover will  take it out of any clothing easily).

Form Factor:  This one is a bit more complex, as I wanted kind of a catchall category that I could use to look at things like packaging (for makeup and other such products) and also fit for clothing or other wearables.  This is also where I'll be rating the aesthetics of it.  If it's a good makeup but the color doesn't look good on anyone, it'll have a low rating.  Conversely if there's a uniform that is the cutest thing ever, but isn't super comfortable it will have a rating more towards the middle (you only have to wear that thing for a couple hours at a time, right?)  I'll try not to focus super hard on looks if I can avoid it because of the next category.

My Rating:  This is where I'll gush about my personal thoughts on the product at hand.  Is it something I've been using forever, or maybe haven't used but am really excited to?  Then it gets a high score.  Basically this is for me to feel like I have real input, besides the objective ratings I try to give.

Nyx liquid suede lipstick in color cherry skies got an 89%.  B+ isn't bad at all. Here's where you can buy this lipstick!  This is an affiliate link, which costs you nothing, but we earn a small amount of money from products purchased through this link:  https://amzn.to/3gcQGFg

    Let me know if you also love this product and what you'd like for us to review next! Have a great week!

Welcome To Spintronix!

Welcome to Spintronix Color Guard! I know some of you have been with us an followed us for a long time, but we also have a lot of new followers and interest in the layout of our programs. So I am here to be your guide. We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) education organization with multiple branches in fine arts and youth development. Our organization is very active in the fine arts community both online and in person as we run camps, clinics, competition teams, and virtual courses.

Summer camp consists of a week-long stay at Central Methodist University in Missouri, a beautiful secluded campus near the center of the country with access to the Columbia regional airport. World class color guard instructors with experience both instructing and performing at all levels teach students from all over the country throughout the camp, culminating in a showcase performance at the end of the week for friends, family, and local community members alike. Students get hands-on experience with spinning equipment at the level they are most comfortable. They also get a more in-depth color guard education as they learn about the importance of leadership and team building to the success of their home color guard, and they delve into the history of color guard so they can understand why it has developed into the activity that it is today.

Some branches of the summer camp that have been exceptionally useful to people involved with our organization include the Spinternship program and instructor certification. The Spinternship program is available to high school graduates looking to network and gain experience in color guard instruction, and they are the lifeblood of the summer camp. Instructor certification involves classes in color guard teaching, design, choreography, copyright, and other aspects necessary for color guard instructors to be fluent in when teaching their teams.

Clinics can be single-day, weekend, or multi-day clinics and are held at host schools throughout the country. Hosts simply apply to hold a clinic on our website and will receive a quote usually within 48 hours. Clinics can be open to the public so that any students in the area can attend, or they can be private only for those students who attend that school or live in that area.

Our competition teams are located in Mountain View, Missouri and compete in the Mid-Continent Color Guard Association circuit along with Winter Guard International. This is a more intense color guard experience as the team meets for rehearsal every weekend beginning in September and running through the first weekend in April.

Finally, our virtual courses are online and available through our YouTube channel. There are hundreds of free videos teaching technique, choreography, body conditioning, instructor training, and more available, along with occasional live stream classes or performances.

In addition to these main programs, we also offer choreography and design services for your fall or winter guard program, solo and ensemble competition, and so much more. You can always request a quote by e-mail or on our website at www.spintronixguard.org.

<3 Jackie

Preparing for the 2020 Marching Band Season in Uncertain Times

    Hey guys! It's Sam and I'm here with some hopefully important information for performers and coaches as we go into this fall season.  Currently things are really uncertain.  And that's okay.  All we can do right now is listen to the experts and try to keep ourselves as safe as possible.  And, what better thing to do than to prepare for the coming fall season from the comfort of our own homes?

Here is a list of things that you do have control over to help you be your very best for your team!

1.  Keep a healthy diet.

  This one goes without saying.  We should ALWAYS be eating healthy, drinking lots of water, and listening to our bodies.  But, with the world being as it is and so many of us are cooped up in our houses, it begins to get difficult.  I find myself waking up late in the day, not eating a meal until after 1 pm, and then my last meal of the day is 30 minutes before I go to bed.  Or I consider a handful of chips a meal.  I'm sure you all can probably relate.  

     The good news is, there's plenty of easy ways to get out of this funk!  The first is by drinking lots of water.  I let myself have a cup of coffee after I wake up and then I drink just water until 5 or 6 pm.  Staying hydrated is no joke, and it's nice to get into the habit now so you won't be tempted to reach for a soda when your body really needs water. The best part?  You definitely do NOT have to brave grocery stores in order to have water on hand.

If you're working from home you have more time to plan meals, or even just make the conscious decision that a snack food is not a meal.   Maybe you live alone so it feels ridiculous to cook a whole meal for yourself.  Use those leftovers as easy meals for later in the week when you don't have the energy to cook!  Or maybe you're in high school so your parents take care of the meal prep and planning.  Offer to help out in the kitchen or ask your parents to pick up some healthy snacks.  I personally love a handful of cherry tomatoes or hummus and something to dip in it.  Am I telling you to never snack, and only eat a vegan, gluten free diet? Absolutely not! But remember all of the physical activity you're preparing to put your body through and try to make choices that help your body succeed.

(Pictured above is a baguette with fresh mozzarella and charred tomatoes, penne with a rustic tomato sauce and vegan tofu sausage) 

2. Practice

    This is also a thing that seems completely obvious, but it is way too easy to let your equipment sit in the corner collecting dust.  I'm going to break down my advice into two sections: indoor and outdoor.

Indoor

This one is pretty easy, I think.  If you have any linoleum or hardwood floors in your house, get your dance on! Practice those pirouettes and chaines! Do your dance warm up or just practice some tendus.  I prefer this kind of floor for more of my technical skills because it's easier to glide across.  If your house is like mine and you have no slick surfaces (except a tiny patch by the door and in my too narrow kitchen), then maybe work smaller things and do your best on carpet or outside.  

    Other things you can do include working those body isolations.  Have a full length mirror?  Stand in front of that and watch what it looks like when you move a muscle group in a specific way.  Learning what it feels like when you do different things will increase your body awareness and will hopefully make more sense when your coach tells you to do something specific.  If you can get away with jumping around, do that on carpeted areas!  You're less likely to slip and fall and you can practice all of those saute to roll on the ground without fear of bruising.  Just make sure to wear long pants to you don't get carpet burn!

        Coaches, take this time to work on the body and dance warm ups for your kids!  Maybe your vets have taught your rookies so you haven't really had to look at your warm up in a while.  Or maybe you're just looking for ways to improve it.  This is the time to move the coffee table out of the way and relearn it yourself.  When I was making videos for my students to learn from I realized it had been a while since I'd really thought about what each exercise is supposed to accomplish and I got to think through what I want my students to get out of each part.  It was an eye opening experience!

Outdoor

    I'm sure everyone knows how to go outside and practice.  Even if you don't do anything specific, just spinning some basics is a great way to stay in shape for the fall season.  Instead, let's talk about where to spin.  If you have your own front or back yard, perfect! You have your own cozy little spot.  But, what if you live in an apartment or your yard is flooded from the wacky weather?  I personally live in an apartment so I spin in one area of our parking lot that is away from cars.  There's not a ton of people coming and going so it's safer than ever for me to spin here.  If you live in a very residential area without much traffic or near a cul-de-sac then it may be an option to spin there.  The next option is parks.  I have a small one half a mile from my house so I'll load up my equipment and walk to it to spin for a bit.  If you cannot go by yourself, see if a parent will bring a book or something and sit on a park bench and supervise you. 

3. Exercise

    Gyms are closed, schools are closed, everything is closed.  And though places are slowly beginning to reopen, do not feel pressured to go out to these places if you don't need to.  There's plenty of at home options.  You can go for walks around the neighborhood or go for a run.  Another option that's just as good is using a fitness app!  If you have a planet fitness membership, they are currently live streaming at home workouts every day and their app is full of body weight exercises you can do at home.  Our personal favorite app at Spintronix is Down Dog.

    This is our favorite yoga app!  We cannot recommend it enough!  They're not paying us to say that, it is just a genuinely fantastic app.  It has a variety of difficulty levels, types of yoga, and you'll never get the same flow twice (unless you want to).  Yoga is the perfect combination of stretching and working out, in my opinion.  You don't need to be a Buddhist to appreciate the things yoga can do for your body.  It can also help you control your breathing, which is so important for a 10 minute marching show.  Breathe in and our when the narrator tells you to (it's much easier than breathing block, I promise).    Right now I'm live streaming my yoga practice every Wednesday morning at 8 am on our youtube channel. Come join me! https://youtu.be/tTK0BYVX-Ck 

    This company has another app called Barre.  It is workouts based on barre and ballet.  I have only recently began to use it, but I love being able to see the timer on screen, the short duration of each exercise, and the calming narrator telling you what to do.  It is one of my favorite workout apps to date.

4. Be Understanding

    We are currently living through something that no one on earth has had to deal with before.  It is an uncertain time for performers, parents, students, and teachers.  There are 16 year olds who are essential and folks with pH D's who are not.  We are learning to communicate as effectively as possible via technology, but it is incredibly difficult being alone.  It's hard not getting to see your friends or coworkers or practice as a team.  Everyone is going through something right now, so please let's be gentle with each other.

    If a student is just not understanding a warm up or a piece of choreography, spend some extra time telling them it's okay and helping them to the best of your ability.  Maybe they've never learned from video before.  If you feel like your section leader is not telling you the information you need to know or is being rude for no reason, reach out to them.  Right now all we need is someone to listen and to feel like we're still connected despite the physical distance between us.  

    We need compassion and understanding more than ever right now.  Rather than tearing down a rival guard, instead like their instagram post and tell them how good they're getting.  Now is the time to come together and support each other in a way that we never have before.  

    Spinthusiasts, I hope I have helped you help yourself.  I hope that these tips will prepare you for a strong fall season.  --Sam 

 

Heading to Costa Rica!

Thanks to Winter Guard International and our generous sponsors at Halftime Hardware, we are thrilled to announce that our director Jackie Brown will be heading to WGI Costa Rica this year! The contest covers the weekend of May 9-10, and while there Jackie is excited to be volunteering on the ground floor of BN Arena to run the social media for WGI.

"We have always had a large social media following from Latin and South America, so it's going to be an incredible experience to put real faces to screen names in real life on this trip," says Jackie of her impending excitement. The Spintronix social media channels have already been flooded with excitement and thanks - mostly in Spanish - from those directors and performers who have used the free resources offered by Spintronix online over the years. "I'm definitely practicing my Spanish every day!" says Jackie, laughing when asked about her language skill. "I only ever learned Portuguese and it's just similar enough to be completely different."

She will be posting to the Winter Guard International social media pages, which we will link once the time gets closer, for the duration of the trip. This will help to bring exposure to the hard working teams in attendance at the Costa Rica contest, as well as attention to color guard as a worldwide sport rather than a niche community. "One of the other exciting aspects of this is that the students who I worked with when I lived in Brazil are all older now and teaching their own teams," Jackie explains when asked about how she feels toward the teams who will be attending the competition. "Getting to see how they have grown with the influences and opportunities provided by WGI, Spintronix, and their own dedication will be a reward in itself for me."

Jackie's trip is sponsored by Halftime Hardware, supplier of Concert Band, Marching Band, Color Guard, and Choral equipment. They carry a full line of guard equipment, uniforms, and silks. They also have shoes, gloves, podiums, storage and equipment carts,  uniforms and accessories, field accessories, drum major equipment, and rain gear  for your marching band. Directors can contact them for a free catalog!