For the second year in a row, the highly accomplished McLean Highlander Marching Band has won the Virginia State Championship in Virginia Beach this weekend. Through many tireless, hard working hours in rehearsals, all their work has paid off. “This win comes from hours and hours–and hours of work,” said junior Sydney Thu, marching band flute section member. “It is really validating because it shows that what we are doing really is working.”

The long hours spent together forms a community among the band members. This community, each year, provides a supportive environment that helps them achieve success and strive to be better. “I think that what makes [marching band] so successful is our cohesion and our shared goal to be the best that we can be,” said junior Maddie Sisk, Flute section leader. “As a whole, we are all very hardworking and dedicated… that drives us to be the best we can be.” The band’s themes this year is “Not All Heroes Wear Capes,” which was evident in the sensational skills being presented by everyday people in the band. Their triumph on Saturday proved this because each individual on the field was a hero to another member. “Tonight all I could think about was my section and how their were my heroes,” Sisk said. As an end comes to the marching band’s season, they celebrate their accomplishments of the year and walk away with a deeper connection with one another. “We win together, we work together, and we lose together sometimes. We are driven to succeed for each other,” Thu said.