MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — Yosemite High School’s drumline team has been using the same equipment since 2005. It’s well past its life expectancy and they are in desperate need of financial support from the community in order to raise the funds needed for the purchase of new marching percussion equipment.
Student numbers are growing but they cannot admit any new drumline percussionists to the team for next season due to many of their older drums no longer being serviceable. Due to their age, parts just aren’t available as these models are discontinued. In fact, their two snare drums are pieced together from the parts of the other two snares.
YHS needs to raise nearly $22,000 in order to completely replace their current inventory and create new spots for their growing drumline and marching band program.
What is particularly amazing about the drumline this year is that it is made
up of a few 8th graders, and for most of the drumline team this will be their secondary instrument. Half of the line started playing percussion just this season!
The YHS drumline team saw no returning members in 2021-22 so the year was definitely a rebuilding year. With that said, these kids have risen to the occasion and have worked insanely hard to be the best versions of themselves when they wear the YHS uniform and drums. Suffice it to say, their performance and experience has made us all incredibly proud of them.
A recent drumline “battle” between YHS and Minarets High School involved a collaboration between YHS Music Director Megan Rice, YHS Music Department Head Consultant Christopher Harris, and Minarets Drumline Instructor Bill Samuelson. It was decided that the drumlines should play together so both presented their own cadence and then combined for a big finale. While the Minarets Drumline was supported by their Cheer squad, the YHS Drumline was backed up by the entire YHS Marching Band.
YHS Band Director, Megan Rice, who started her career at YHS and loves working with the YHS students as well as the Bass Lake Middle School students says, “We appreciate all of the support that YUSD (Yosemite Unified School District) and BLSD (Bass Lake School District) are able to provide, but it is time to update our inventory and we could use support from our community. The students we work with are so dedicated and talented, and they deserve the best we can provide for them.”
One major way our community can help is by attending their Mattress Fundraiser on November 5, 2022. It’s located at the YHS Gymnasium from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. See map below.
This way, anyone looking for a new mattress can get an amazing price on brand name mattresses without having to go through the hassle of going down the hill or paying extra for overhead charges.
While you’re getting a better night’s sleep, the YHS Music Department will be
thankful as they will get a good percentage of all the sales. If you’re interested, you text the word YOSEMITE to 559-234-0055 and all the information you need will be texted to you directly.
Thank you to the 2022-2023 Music Program Sponsors
GOLD SPONSORS
Pine Tree Market
Valley Iron Inc.
Anika Digital Holdings
Beaver Cleaners
Clark Bros, Inc.
SILVER SPONSORS
The Gnarly Carrot
Crossroads Recycled Lumber
Alisa Sparks, CPA
Villains Collectibles
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite
Claiborne Lavoie & Associates
BRONZE SPONSORS
Live Oak Associates
Padilla Family and Friends
Oakhurst Business Center
Mountain Artisans Market
Good Ol’ Things
A Happy Hair
Yosemite High School
50200 High School Road
Oakhurst, CA 93644
559-683-4667
Some more pictures of the YHS drumline and marching band members
