Manville High School has a wide array of sports, clubs, and other activities, but a personal favorite for many students and Manville residents is the marching band. The band has many goals and some previous accomplishments for the 2021-2022 season. 

Conducted by Mr. Joseph Espineira, making this his 21st year being involved in marching band as a whole, the aim for the band this year is to, “learn[ing] the life lessons of goal setting, working hard to achieve those goals, and organization/time management.” 

So far this year, the marching band has competed on two separate occasions, in Edison and Woodbridge New Jersey, placing 1st and 3rd place, which is an encouraging start to the season! The band intends to take their field show in performance at the Board of Education meeting on October 19th and the New Jersey Marching Band State Championships at The College of New Jersey in late October, as well as other competitive festivals. Additionally, the band marches in the annual Memorial Day Parade in May.

Espineira, the band’s greatest advocate, is enlightened by the growth and talent he has seen in the band students over the years and since the beginning of this season. The students in the marching band put in over 200 hours of hard work and dedication throughout the months of August through October, along with other extracurricular activities, academics, and their personal lives. It is apparent that their hard work pays off though, “amazing performances that are well polished, precise, and portray pageantry to the highest level,” Espineira expresses. 

The marching band is not just an activity participated in throughout high school. It is open to students as young as 7th grade, and it is a fun, meaningful program, creating a second family and a home-away-from-home.