St Helens Band Patrons

Welcome to St. Helens Band Patrons

St Helens Band History

The St. Helens School District Band Program has a long and storied history dating back to 1934. The excellence visible in the program today can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of the directors, students and patrons who have served throughout its history. Consistency and stability play a critical role in maintaining the high standard for which the program is widely renowned. Since its inception, there have only been five band directors, three of whom are retired, and one who has left for other opportunities. Currently, the director has almost 300 students ranging from 6th through 12th grade, who are involved in six different musical groups held at two schools.

The Band Program has always been a strong supporter of the community. Throughout the year you can see them performing in many different places around the St. Helens area and beyond. Community celebrations are a prime example of this commitment, from the 4th of July "Summer Concert in the Park" featuring musicians of all ages, to the annual Riverfest parade, as well as other performances supporting Veteran's Day events, and gatherings at the Yankton Grange to name a few. Beyond merely playing for fun, the various bands participate in competitions and festivals throughout the state and region, acting as ambassadors for both school district and community.

Continuing the great tradition of our Band Program requires sustained and stable support. It is this support that is the Band Patron charter. While the salary of the band director is funded by the School District, all other expenses, resources and supplies in support of the Band Program are provided through the Band Patrons. The Band Patrons provide many resources to the program, including: entry fees and travel expenses for band competitions; subsidizing band member activity fees; uniforms for the marching band and color guard; funding collegiate scholarships; volunteers to transport musical equipment to competitions; meals and snacks at competitions; organizing the annual "Big Band" concert; paying instructor salaries for band clinics and summer band camp; setting up and taking down equipment for performances; and organizing and volunteering for fund raisers. As you can tell, the Band Patrons are busy performing many activities throughout the year. However, the number of persons active in the Band Patrons organization has fallen drastically over the past couple of years, and it is becoming increasingly difficult, and impossible in some cases, for the handful of active members to fulfill the needs of our Band Program. With this in mind, the Band Patrons are asking our band parents and community members to actively participate in the support of your award-winning Band Program. Whether you can donate a few hours or only a few minutes per month, your participation would be greatly appreciated. The Band Patrons organization is open to everyone, and as a band parent there is no membership fee.

Today more than ever, we all have busy schedules, but please set aside time to support our band program. It is amazing how many of us find time to support our children's athletic teams and activities, but then fail to recognize that our student musicians have equally earned and deserve that same level of support to their musical activities.