To the editor:

Kudos and congratulations to both of the Lawrence high school marching bands that competed in Saturday’s Heart of America Marching Festival, sponsored by the Kansas University Band and KMEA Northeast District. What a wonderful event! There were 19 bands in competition at Memorial Stadium. I was thrilled to hear all eight Division 1 marching bands, as each band provided outstanding music, marching, enthusiasm and showmanship.

The students have worked hard all season, and I would like to recognize their incredible effort and accomplishments. The Lawrence Free State Marching Firebirds were rated the best of the Kansas bands. They placed third in Division 1, with Missouri schools taking the two top spots. The Lawrence High Marching Lions were awarded Outstanding Marching Execution for the competition. A special thank you to KU, and to the band directors at both high schools: Randy Fillmore, Tom Hunt, and Lauren Gaugert at Free State, and Mike Jones, Patrick McCarty, and Johannah Cox at LHS, and to all the others who assist the bands.

There is so much good music being made at the Lawrence public schools; coming up this year there will be choir concerts, musicals, orchestra concerts and band concerts. It would be well worth your time to attend any one of these events and experience the incredible talent and energy shown by these students!

Julie Jasperson,

Lawrence