I parked in front of the Trumbull High School band room one day while waiting to take my son to the mall. This is where my high school junior and three year member of the award-winning Trumbull HS Golden Eagle Marching Band asks to be picked up. As I sit there observing from a short distance, it is then that I realize just how much the entire scene reminds me of bees around their bee hive. I sit there watching as members of the marching band come out to meet their parents, or in the case of seniors and some juniors, go to their own cars to drive home after a long day of school. The color guard members and musicians run back and forth to relay messages to parents or to retrieve forgotten books, various articles of clothing, and instruments. I smile as I recall footage I have seen on National Geographic of bees flying in and out of their hives. When my son comes to the car, I ask him if there is a band class or a guard class at the end of the day to which he replies “No.”
The THS band room is more than just another entrance/exit for the 132 Golden Eagles. With six or more doors by which to exit the school, they choose one. In most cases, there is absolutely no reason to return to the band room at the end of the day. Surely, there are doors much closer to their last class, their lockers or their parked cars. No, these doors are very different. These are doors to their home away from home, their safe haven, their bee hive. These are doors to a room in which they have spent countless hours not only practicing their instruments and spinning rifles but also doors to a happy place in which they have built beautiful and positive memories to last a lifetime. Like bees, it is as though they feel protected from the turmoil, and, unfortunately, even dangers that kids can sometimes face in a high school.
Yes, the Trumbull High School band room is like a bee hive and their beautiful music is like their honey. How ironic that the school colors are black and gold.
By Susan Gooden
