News : Thanks for helping VSHS Jazz Band have successful season

Thank you to all of the band booster parents, Vinton-Shellsburg school administration, staff, students, and community businesses for your continued support of the band department and its students. The community, school, and band parent support has been instrumental in the continued success of the band program.

We just finished another very successful jazz band season, and we want to personally thank everyone in the community for their support this season. Thank you to every business that financially supported our hosting of the 2011 NEIBA Jazz Festival and food concessions at the State Speech Festival. Whether it was donating food for the events, volunteering time to help work the events, or purchase program advertising, your contribution is appreciated.

I am very proud of the students. They grew and improved throughout the jazz band season and worked hard to accomplish their set goals. The students stated it all on their student designed VSHS Iowa Jazz Championships t-shirts: we started as a jazz band, but became a jazz band family. The students encouraged each other all year round and really worked hard for perfection in their playing. I was so happy to see them succeed this season and accomplish so many well-deserved achievements. This group was truly a special group of students!

Lastly, thank you for supporting the students at the 2011 Iowa Jazz Championships. What a great following we had at the event, and the students and I really enjoyed and appreciated the support.

Our students really performed well at the State Championships. Our performance went as well as I could have ever hoped. I am just so happy and proud of them right now. This group of students is a very special group of students and I have enjoyed working with them this year. Vinton-Shellsburg can be very proud of how they represented their school and community at such a special event, the Iowa Jazz Championships.

Karl Smith