For students who wish to join, the color guard is offering training clinics in May. Band Director Mrs. Kathy McCullough said, “Color Guard is a group of students who do a combination of flag work and dance, (and) they are a part of the band.”

Color guard doesn’t require tryouts, but any students who are interested must attend a training clinic on either May 10 or May 11 outside of Cunningham. If at the training clinic a student seems capable and they enjoy the experience, then they can decide to join. Going into these clinics, students don’t need any experience. “No one has done (color guard) before. Everyone has started at that zero line and we teach them,” McCullough said.

If students would like to be in color guard, they must sign up for band during first semester. Color guard is a part of the band and just like any other class, they receive a grade for the semester. However, since it’s a class there are no practices outside of the school day, except for band camp during the summer. “Color guard does have required band camp July 25 through July 29,” McCullough said.

The Pride of the Irish Color Guard is a performance group. They participate with the band at all home football games, at the Indianapolis Veterans Day parade, at one basketball game halftime show and at a Christmas concert. They also compete in one contest for the Indiana State School Music Association, in October.

Also this coming year, color guard will join the band in Dublin, Ireland to perform in the St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17, 2023. “Our band has gone every eight years to do (the parade),” said McCullough.

For any student with further questions about color guard, they can contact McCullough at [email protected] or speak with current color guard captains, senior Hope Sultzer or junior Megan Hoppes.