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Mr. Meers,
I was honored to spend some time with you
while I was back visiting my parents. Of all the teachers I had
from K-12, you are the only one who I make it a point to stop in
and see as you have had such a positive impact on my life by being
someone who encouraged me to become more than average and help weave a
morale thread through my character. To this day, I do the right
thing even when it is not "cool", just because it is the
right thing to do. I do not stand by and complain about something
without offering a plan to fix it, and when someone else close to me is
trying to get away with something that they really shouldn't be doing, I
hold them accountable.
The whole band experience pushes you to
try harder, to practice and become more. Also, the structure of
section leaders and officers establish accountability to others and makes
you want to strive towards leadership. To this day, people find it
hard to believe that a 32 y/o Disc Jockey who is out until the
party is over, has never had a drink of alcohol. People ask me
if I am Mormon or if I have a reason for not drinking, and I always say
"I never had a reason TO drink." I usually follow that up
with the fact that I was in Band during High School and was fortunate to
be around a group of friends who gave me positive peer pressure and as a
group of kids who would go out after a football game or band competition
and eat at Krystals until midnight or later, we never had a desire to
drink. Being in Band provided me with some acceptance with a group
of peers and rooted me as a confident individual who did not need to seek
the acceptance of others in order to fit in. The most wonderful
part of being a "Band Buddy" or "Band Geek" was that
we were all in it together. When the popular band members were
outside of our environment and with the other popular kids, I always had
an in with my fellow band member. Whether it was student council,
English class, the School Bus, or just the lunchroom, I was
confident around other people and usually had a fellow band member to
associate with. To this day I truly understand that it is "Hip
to be Square".
I think that band also helped me with
making a commitment and sticking to it. I do not let my daughter
quit because she is bored with something (ballet, gymnastics, karate,
etc) but rather teach her the importance of keeping the commitments we
make. In High School, I knew I could not miss a band practice or
performance because of the hole I would leave and the fact that
everyone else was counting on me to be there. So many kids who end
up in gangs today are just looking for the acceptance they do not get
from school or at home. They grow up feeling like no one would even
miss them if they were gone. In Band, you find out real fast that
people need you to be in your place, doing your part. For that, I
know that I am a more confident, dependable, and successful
person.
One thing in particular that molded my
character was the dreaded inspections before a band performance. I
say dreaded because they seemed so stressful in the beginning, but as
time passed, I took pride in polishing up my instrument, cleaning my
shoes, shining the buttons on my uniform, and making sure that I looked
the best I could. Little things like putting hairspray on my
freshly polished shoes was just an extra effort to preserve the hard work
I had done to get an outstanding at inspection. It was the first
time in my life that I took pride in my appearance and was held
accountable for a task that ended up with numerous rewards. I took
that pride in my appearance with me into the U.S. Navy and for 10 years
was one of the most squared away members of my unit. I took as much
pride wearing my Navy Uniform as I did wearing my Band uniform in high
school. Now I wear my tuxedo with pride to weddings every
weekend. There are still times when I am at a prestigious
location getting changed in a backstage dressing room, that I remember when
we were performing a the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and thought it
was such an honor to get dressed into my band uniform backstage in
preparation for a performance. Its funny how those proud moments
stick with you and make you feel special all over again.
Another thing I took with me
into the military was the leadership skills I learned from Day 1 at band
camp. I remember looking up to the Seniors in awe of their
confident presence and the skill they displayed with ease. Even as
a lowly freshman, I was given the opportunity to lead as we were broken
down into small groups and those of us who learned the marching skills
quickly were given the chance to lead others. When I was a section
leader as a Junior, I gained invaluable leadership skills as I was
now holding others accountable and those in my section unknowingly
made me strive to be the best I could be because they expected me to know
ALL the answers. Even though I was not elected as a band officer,
the mere fact that I was a Senior made me a leader to every freshman who
walked in the door. I remember the respect I had for the Seniors
when I was a Freshman and I made a conscious effort when I was a Senior
to not let down the Freshmen who looked up to me. I was never
able to win a popularity contest and actually hold an office, BUT I still
gained invaluable leadership experience that to this day makes others put
me to be in charge of the situation. I suppose that the style
of leadership we learn in Band in which we lead a TEAM of people versus
just being in charge of others is what helped me become
such an effective leader. I was the assistant manager of a store at
age 17, then lead my company at Navy boot camp, and put into a leadership
role at every other place where I was stationed and I now own a
company with 12 employees. Being a leader is not always a popular
job to have and that is why the popularity contests do not make leaders,
rather leaders emerge anyway and those elected or appointed want them on
their leadership team.
The leadership skills I developed in Band
propelled my military career from Day 1 in boot camp as I was confident
enough to yell out commands and even had a head start on many of the
marching skills. Even the daily warm up exercises followed me into
our Physical Training in the Navy. Because running a mile and a
half was not such a big deal after running laps around the band field and
the fact that I had a few years practice projecting my voice and calling
out commands to large groups of people, I was quickly picked to lead
through out my Navy career. By my 10th year in the Navy, I was in
charge of an entire Medical Clinic and maintained a high moral with all
of my co-workers (not subordinates) because I had learned to be both a
team leader and a team member at the same time. I took a genuine
interest in the well being of those under my command because for years, I
had leaders who made a positive impression on me when they took the time
to notice my needs. Most of all, I learned from the Band leaders in
charge of me that there is always a positive way to encourage someone to
do better when they did not meet the standards.
"I WILL ALWAYS
STRIVE THROUGH TALENT AND SPIRIT TO MAKE THE GOOD BETTER AND THE BETTER
BEST SIR!" This is not just a motto that we
mindlessly repeat, but a way of thinking that will lay out successes
for the rest of our lives. I was a bit disappointed to not find the
Motto on the Band website, but I am sure it will find it's way there now.
This motto defined who we were both as band member and as leaders.
There is always a positive way to relay a negative message, and when you
are the leader, you have to motivate and encourage others to do their
best. For me, the band was the 1st time I was ever challenged to be
my best. I may not have always made the clinic band or been 1st
chair, but I sure gained a valuable lesson in life trying out for it.
Band was also the 1st time I was ever given the opportunity to lead
others and that kind of experience is worth more than any social status
gained from any other activity I can think of. Band taught me to be
the best at what I was doing no matter what task was put in front of me.
In my mind, I wanted to be the best unloader of the fruit truck, the
best worker on Load Crew, the best member of the pep band, the
fastest person to lap the band field, have the shiniest Saxophone in my
section, have the whitest shoes for a football game, etc. I may not
have been the best, but I tried to be. And that motivation follows
me today. I know if I had to be a ditch digger, I would strive to
be the best ditch digger I could be until I was able to find a
better job. Today I strive to be the best husband and father I can
be, the best DJ in San Diego, the best golfer in my league, and the best
I can be on the Parent Teacher Board at my daughter's school.
I know I will always succeed as long as I continue "to Make the Good
Better and the Better Best!"
I only wish I knew back in
High School how much of a difference my effort really made. I had
no idea that I was learning leadership and social skills that would give
me an advantage over countless others who never had to face a challenge
or were never held accountable to a common cause. Everything I
worked hard for each day after school on the band field paid off with
each performance in front of a large audience. Today, my biggest
gig is every 4th of July out at Camp Pendleton where for the past 9
years, I have been the DJ and M.C. from 10am until 11pm in front of
40,000 people. That is the closest experience I have had to my days
in Band. People always ask me how I am so comfortable speaking in
public as DJ and also at my local Toastmasters Club. They always
accuse me of being a natural born leader and public speaker, but truth
is, my confidence comes from the experience of Band.
Thank you for the major role you played in
taking me from the boy who showed up the summer of my 8th grade year and forming
me into Man I am today. I have enjoyed almost 12 years of marriage
because of the commitment I understand and I strive to be the best
father because I see the impact a positive influence can have on others.
My wife and family are hoping to move back to Murfreesboro in the next 3
years (before my daughter enters high school) and I do hope that my
daughter will be able to attend Riverdale. I have always wanted to
give something back, and have even thought of coming back to help out
with band camp. I would be honored to have my child go through the
band program and give me the chance to be a Band Booster.
Maybe someday I will get the opportunity to share these thoughts at
a Band Banquet to inspire others to make the most of their band
experience.
Thanks again,
Steve Hasty
Class of 89'
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