Capturing the highest honors at the LCMS/LCHS Band Concert and Awards Ceremony held recently in the school cafeteria were: (l-r) Joel Dukes, "Conductor's Award;" Donnell Harris, "Red Devil Pride Award;" and Jeremy Latimer, "Leadership Award." The annual LCMS/LCHS Band Concert and Awards Ceremony was held Tuesday, May 5, in the school cafeteria.

Following the welcome delivered by Michael Smalley, president of the Lincoln County Band Booster Club, Pam Carmichael, LCMS principal, brought greetings to those present on behalf of the faculty and staff at LCMS/LCHS.

The audience was then treated to inspirational and engaging performances by the Sixth-Grade Band, the Seventh and Eighth-Grade Band, the LCHS Concert Band, and the LCMS/ LCHS Jazz Band, all under the direction of Jasper Dukes.

Next, awards were presented to those students who excelled in various aspects of the band program this year. Receiving recognition were:

Concert Band MVP — Woodwind: Nicole Beard.

MVP — Brass Wind: Chelsea Duncan.

MVP — Percussion: Shawn Parks.

Most Improved Player — Woodwind: Sherne'A Jones and Pierra Heath.

Most Improved Player — Brass Wind: Bee Wynn and Dasha Bussey.

Most Improved Player — Percussion: Nelson Barksdale and Kevin Sutherland.

Marching Band

MVP — Woodwind: Deanne Hearst.

MVP — Brass Wind: Kahlil Norman.

MVP — Percussion: Roger Elam.

MVP — Auxiliary: Hannah Mongrue and Tyeshia Crew.

Most Improved Player — Woodwind: Shayman Hearst and Meygan Hogan.

Most Improved Player — Brass Wind: Matessia Murray and Sarah Herrick.

Most Improved Player — Percussion: Aubrey Garcia and Timothy Brown.

Most Improved — Auxiliary: Hannah Carmichael and Ashlei Jones.

LCMS Band

Most Improved — Hayden Bailey, Joshua Partridge, Miles Woodard, Wesley Durden, Kaylin Miller, and Jay Shively.

Jazz Band

MVP — JeRee Dukes and Joel Dukes.

Most Improved Player: Nicole Beard and Jemarian Hearst.

Other Awards

Conductor's Award: Joel Dukes.

Red Devil Pride Award: Donnell Harris.

Leadership Award: Jeremy Latimer.

Honor Bandsmen: JeRee Dukes, Donnell Harris, Nicole Beard, Shayman Hearst, Joel Dukes, Austin Shively, Tiffani Tutt, Kaylin Miller, Hayden Bailey, Wesley Durden, Allison Moore, and Joshua Partridge.

Citizenship Award: Ashia Crew, D.J. Bentley, Grace Ashmore, Joseph Cobb, Jamaul Hawes, and Shawn Brown.

Lincoln County Band Booster Club Scholarship: JeRee Dukes and Donnell Harris.

Band Jacket Recipients: Nicole Beard, Jeffery Brown, Shayman Hearst, Ceseley Henderson, Karl Perrin, Chelsea Duncan, Shawn Parks, Monica Jones, Datamkia Walton, Grace Ashmore, Hannah Carmichael, Hannah Mongrue, and Tyeshia Crew.

Band Manager Award: Felicia Zellars, Miles Woodard, Shaquita Lockhart, and Quantarius Searles.

Participation Certificates: JeRee Dukes, Donnell Harris, Keywanna Foston, Bianca Marshall, Syrithia McCladdie, Pateriea Heath, Kashade Andrews, Nicole Beard, Jeffery Brown, Shayman Hearst, Ceseley Henderson, Ashia Crew, Chelsea Duncan,ShawnParks, Monica Jones.

Datamkia Walton, Grace Ashmore, Hannah Mongrue, Hannah Carmichael, Tyeshia Crew, Karl Perrin, Perkita Walton, Jeremy Latimer, Trevor Christoffer, Wesley Durden, Roger Elam, Timothy Brown, Pierra Heath, Olessia Norman, Felicia Zellars, Shaquita Lockhart, Quantarius Searles.

Khadejah Terry, Lisette Archer-Barber, Joel Dukes, D.J. Bentley, Rozina Harris, Sherne'A Jones, Ashlei Jones, Nelson Barksdale, Elana Mansion, Matessia Murray, Kevin Sutherland, Bridgette Blackwell, Jaylen Savage.

Dasha Bussey, Deanna Hearst, Joseph Cobb, Bekendrianna Wynn, Sarah Herrick, Kahlil Norman, Precious Gray, Chelsea Norman, Allison Moore, Kanika Norman, Requan Beard, Jesse Grabb, Nicolas Ingram, Jay Shively, Jamaul Hawes, Jemarian Hearst, Juya King, Tapeka Arnett.

Jasmine Hearst, Meygan Hogan, Toni Jones, Aubrey Garcia, Quardale Hogan, Tyler Tutt, Cole Logue, Hayden Bailey, Brendan Elbert, Kaylin Miller, Charkalen Parks, Austin Shively, Tiffani Tutt, Miles Woodard, Michelle Henderson, Shawn Brown, Joshua Partridge, and Shabrekia Smith.

Likewise, during the awards ceremony, parents and other volunteers were recognized by Director Dukes for their contributions to the band program at LCMS/LCHS.

In turn, senior Donnell Harris rendered a reading and JeRee Dukes, also a senior, sang "Wind Beneath My Wings" in honor of the band director.

The evening concluded with remarks by Director Dukes and Henry Madden, assistant principal at LCHS.

The awards ceremony was sponsored by the band booster club. The officers for 2008-2009 were: Michael Smalley, president; Angie Coppin, vice president; Neda Jones, secretary; and Henry Brown, treasurer.