Schools

Thanks to Your Votes, Sumner High School Band Won $1,000

Sumner High School's marching band won $1,000 for receiving the most text votes in The Rock Battle of the Bands competition.

Your votes helped the Sumner High School marching band win $1,000! Out of all the high school marching bands that participated in , Sumner was awarded a runner-up prize for receiving 2,083 text votes, the most in their division.

Carol Bucich, president of the Sumner Band Parents Association, said that the group plans to use the money to purchase a new set of drums for the drumline.

“Our current ones are [over] 20 years old and in much need of being replaced,” said Bucich.

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In partnership with 102.5 KZOK, CBS Seattle and Xfinity, the four month-long Schools of The Rock competition invited high school bands to participate in an online battle to see which school’s video performance could tally the most votes via text message. The 10 schools with the most votes were then reviewed by a panel of celebrity judges who ranked the bands based on quality of musicianship, originality of arrangement and song choice, technical ability and overall performance.

The winner received $10,000 toward the school music program.

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The celebrity judges included Andy McKeag from The Presidents of the United States of America; Brad McDavid, University of Washington Band Leader; Keith Rousu, Seahawks Blue Thunder Drum Major; Stephen Radclidde, Seattle Youth Symphony Music Director; and Donn Bennett from Donn Bennett Drum Studios.

South Kitsap High School took home the grand prize with their performance of “Burning Love” by Elvis Presley.

Sumner performed “Too Much Time on My Hands” by Styx.

Other winners included:

Chief Sealth High School -- $5,000 second-place prize

Issaquah High School -- $1,000 third place prize

Four runners up Rogers High School, Puyallup High School, Bellarmine Preparatory School and Bellevue High School will each receive pizza parties sponsored by Xfinity valued at $750 each.

In addition to Sumner, the other divisional winners were Puyallup High School and Lynnwood High School. They were awarded $1,000 each for receiving the most text votes within their division, determined by school size.

Bellarmine Preparatory School received $1,000 for the Best Video award.


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