Five Morgan Hill School District students are living up to the
Emerald Regime tradition of excellence as they begin their careers
as color guards in middle school.
Five Morgan Hill School District students are living up to the Emerald Regime tradition of excellence as they begin their careers as color guards in middle school.
Rebecca DeVillez and Alora Weltchek from Britton Middle School and Jessica Brisendine, Briana Pena and Stephanie Solorio from Martin Murphy Middle School have formed the Emerald Guard, a color guard unit that, while serving as a feeder for the Live Oak Emerald Regime Band and Color Guard, also competes on its own.
Although a small team, the unit left a big impression: they were undefeated this season in the California Color Guard Circuit, Northern California Color Guard Circuit. On April 4, they were named California Color Guard Circuit Independent Regional Class A champions. The daylong competition was hosted by Independence High in San Jose.
According to Mike and Cricket Rubino, long-time music and Emerald Regime supporters and instructors, the Emerald Guard is the “sister” guard to the larger Live Oak group, and “was re-created this year as a way to bring the activity back to the students in the middle schools.”
The group is supported by the Emerald Regime Booster Club, the Rubinos said, and plans are underway to increase the size of the group “so that the education, physical training, musical training, dance and physical coordination, teamwork and travel experiences can be enjoyed by and can benefit more students.”
The students, under instructors Chet Overstreet and Peter Gomez, performed during competition a show called “Behind the Waterfall,” featuring music by David Lanz and Paul Speer. Their costumes were dark green and emerald velvet body suits. During the show, each member was featured either as a flag soloist or rifle soloist, and all the members were required to perform dance or movement choreography.
The Winter Guard or Color Guard activity emerged out of the marching band/pageantry world in the late 1970’s, the Rubinos said.
“Borne out of a military tradition of precision and pomp, the activity has become a performance art endeavor using brightly colored flags on six-foot poles and wooden rifles and metal sabers, simulating those that are used to ‘guard’ the national ‘colors,’” they said.
Recruiting for next year’s Guard will begin at the end of April and in early May. Details: 779-2401.
