EDISON — The John P. Stevens High School Marching Hawks placed third in the recent Group VI Open US Bands National Championship.
The Hawks came in with a score of 95.375 during the championship behind Norwalk High School and Trumbull High School, both in Connecticut, held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Nov. 11.
The championship saw bands traveling from as far away as Paragould, Arkansas. Some 59 bands competed in the championship.
“Despite the cold weather, we were able to finish the season with a great National Championship competition,” George Hopkins, chief executive officer of the non-profit organization Youth Education in the Arts, which runs the US Bands programs. “Our Cold Weather Action Plan was a success and we were able to keep students as warm as possible before and after they took the field.”
The US Bands National Championship concludes the marching band season for the Marching Hawks, which had a successful year, placing first in states, third in regionals, and third in nationals.
The John P. Stevens Marching Hawks consists of 185 members. This year’s program was titled “Once Upon A Time.”
Andrew DeNicola, band director, and John Zazzali, associate band director, said they are proud of their students and fellow staff for the accomplishments made during the marching band season. They added it was a team effort.