NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)- This is a story of dedication and pride. The dedication to the youth of Jefferson Parish is one mission of the JPSO Band of Excellence.
If you’ve seen these guys in the Mardi Gras parades you know they are fantastic, but according to Band Director Brandon Hansell, the band has a much deeper purpose.
Hansell says, “It’s saving kids’ lives. It’s giving them an option, to where they can go and have the tools to be successful not only in a music career, but in life.”
Back to dedication. While the band is the brainchild of Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Norman, he says the reason behind forming BOE was strong from the beginning and hundreds of kids have benefited from it.
Says Normand, “Knowing that there’s still a strong draw to the university system, who all are very proud of their bands, and that there’s the opportunity for band scholarships, so the whole impetus was to get kids into college through music.”
As for the student musicians, they’re pride shows in taking care of their school studies and practice, but they told us they get a lot more.
“Most of the bands that I’ve been in they’re like all strict and they’re uptight, but in this band I can relax, and I can get to learn my instrument and perfect it,” said Yassir Muhammad and Larlisha Moore chimed in, (that)”You can escape from your home and escape from problems, and you can venture off and go to college and fulfill that profession you want to do for music.”
Sheriff Norman’s office provides most of the resources from building the band room, to the uniforms, to transportation, to everything it takes to field the band. The practices are late, so dinner is even served, with the help of a dedicated group of band moms.
Director Hansell said “We have several parents of the band, and we appreciate everything that they do for us every step of the way.”
Kalen Lewis is a senior and this is his last year, but he’ll never forget what playing in the band feels like,”Like when you’re marching down the street and the crowd’s cheering for you, it’s like you get this energy ,and you just you want to be excellent.”
A proud Sheriff Norman told us,”Just the experiences here have been phenomenal, and hopefully we’ll be able to continue this for a long time. I’m trying to make it to a situation where it certainly outlives me.”