Joseph Katz
What did your time in WHEU mean to you?
My time in WHEU was important to me because I learned to work as a team with the entire band as well as make new friends and strengthen others. I liked working as a section during practice to improve my skills as a trumpet and as a marching band member. Even though I was not officially in leadership, there were times when I was in charge of specific things. Leading a team and problem-solving was a fun part of my WHEU experience. My friends supported me along the way and for that I am grateful.
What have you contributed to WHEU and how have those contributions supported/improved the overall experience for all of its members?
During my time at WHEU, I have jumped to volunteer for almost every opportunity there is to volunteer. Whether it be Quarter Masters, coming early staying late to pack or unload for competitions or events, or taking extra shifts at the Christmas tree lot, I love to support my friends and my community. I even created a new position in the band, the student mechanic. For the years I have been here, I have fixed most of the wheels on props, drum major stands, and pit equipment. I advocated for new supplies when our old things broke. I worked as a team to get everything running as smoothly as possible.
What have you learned from being a member of WHEU and how will you apply those lessons to your future endeavors?
I have learned from WHEU how to work as a team and how to persevere when times are tough. I have overcome adversity during many practices where I wanted to go home. Not only did practice go on until 9 pm after school on Monday, but I also had to stay up late to finish homework. I have learned how to properly balance my time between band practice and school work. I learned proper leadership skills and how to work under pressure and within a time limit. I will use these skills in the future to lead my engineering classmates in projects and to do work in college even when I want to quit. I will continue to work for the betterment of my communities and myself.
