Bella Chow
What did your time in WHEU mean to you?
It was truly a privilege to grow together with the people I met through WHEU. After spending four years of long rehearsal hours with fellow seniors, it’s hard to picture the tiny freshmen we once were, shy yet excited to make music together. By now, we’ve all found our voices. WHEU’s student-run leadership team is unique for a band of our skill; I attribute this to the safe and welcoming environment we cultivate. WHEU was where we could have bad days, crying in the middle of the band room, and be met with immediate consolation; where we could harmonize impromptu “Happy Birthday” instrumentals for lucky members of the day; where we could laughingly debate silly bus ride topics like Tony the Tiger vs. Ash Ketchum, make up goofy stand dances, film football game vlogs, and sprint to change into uniform after eating at competitions. We came back from competitions exhausted, but always greeted with cheerful drawings detailing our score on the band room whiteboard. When I think back on my time in WHEU, what I’ll remember most is not our actual scores, but how each member left each season a better person, surrounded by a little more family than before.
What have you contributed to WHEU and how have those contributions supported/improved the overall experience for all of its members?
Junior year, I spoke to the TUSD Board of Education advocating for fair allocation of Prop 28 arts funding. I realized then that I could truly make a difference; the combined sentiments of everyone at that meeting led to funding for new soloist mics this past season. Senior year, my leadership platform gave me a prominent voice in shaping logistics—helping band camp, rehearsals, and competitions run smoothly. I helped transition newly hired techs into our unit, communicating our student vision/goals. Beyond logistics, I strove to be an energetic, inspiring role model, pushing members to their potential. I created summer choreo competitions, held one-on-one music workshops, and started a warm-up dance tradition in the Clarinet & Low Woodwind section, leading to intersectional pep tune dances. I introduced a woodwind mascot—Mango the Octopus quickly grew in fame, entertaining freshmen as they learned marching basics while balancing Mango on their heads. I hugged a tearful member sharing challenges of becoming a first-generation college student, encouraged a sophomore to start an electrical engineering club, and cheered up a lonely freshman during a water break, placing Mango atop her head. These and many more personal-level connections I made truly enhanced the framework of WHEU community.
What have you learned from being a member of WHEU and how will you apply those lessons to your future endeavors?
The biggest lesson WHEU has taught me is to be my authentic self. If there’s one characteristic of a band kid, it’s that we’re always unashamedly ourselves, quirks and all. When I first became a leader, I had high self-expectations, often worried about whether I was “succeeding” at leading. But once I started prioritizing the good of the group first and being transparent with members, that’s when the unit truly listened to me. In high pressure situations like the evening of championships, with 146+ faces looking up at me—authentic passion for band is what helped me deliver encouraging pep talks, mentor leaders, clearly communicate with adult techs, and reconcile disputes. Saluting my heart out during the champs award ceremony this past season, I realized that despite our numerical placing, I was proud of every single member and their growth over the season. In every future endeavor I have collaborating with others, whether it be in the engineering career I hope to pursue or simply a college extracurricular I’m part of, I want to apply the same kind of authentic teamwork that comes from believing in everything I do, listening to different perspectives, and fusing everyone’s strengths together to create solutions.
