Band Stability changes lives
By Steve Butera
For The Parsons Advocate
While her students practiced a rendition of “Freeze Frame” at the Tucker County High School field, Heather Lantz said she’s living her dream job.
“I’ve always wanted to do something with music,” she said about teaching her pep band class at Tucker County High School, the school she graduated from in 2004. “By my senior year, I figured out that I wanted to teach, I wanted to come back here.”
The 2004 TCHS graduate returned home in 2008 after graduating from West Virginia Wesleyan College and getting married.
Click here to watch a video of Heather Lantz
Lantz teaches not only the high school band class and pep band, she also serves as band teacher for Davis Thomas Middle School. She makes the 15-minute commute daily, teaching a total of six to seven classes. She also teaches after school and has private lessons with her students.
“I love every second of it,” she said. “People ask me if I like my job, and I say I love it. It’s busy; it’s a lot of time, and it’s a lot of dedication.”
The high school has struggled to retain band directors. At least seven different music teachers have rotated through the position since Lantz was a freshman at TCHS nine years ago, she said.
“They changed rooms, they changed directors. Each director had a different way of teaching,” Lantz said.
Alix Lilly, the current TCHS drum major, was a product of such staff changes.
“Even the version of our fight song changed three times a year; the national anthem changed three times a year,” she said. “And then (Lantz) just said, ‘OK, we’re playing this and we’re not switching them,’ and I’m like, ‘Wait, we’re sticking with something?’ ”
Lantz said she went through two different band directors herself while she was in school. She thinks that continuity is one of the strengths she brings to the students.
“It means a lot to them knowing I’ll be there every day, that I’ll be here next year,” she said.
Over the years, the number of students taking part dwindled to single digits. Since Lantz took the reigns in 2008, the band roster has more than tripled to near 35 students. People are noticing the stability of leaders in the music department, and want to help the pep band.
Several local people and some nationally known businesses donated to the department.
VH1’s Save the Music Program and the Clorox Co. (which owns Kingsford Charcoal) gave a combined total of $35,000 to the bands at Davis Thomas and the high school.
“Hearing they’re proud of what’s being done, that is huge to me.” Lantz said.
Click here to watch a video of Heather Lantz
The money raised will be going to new band uniforms and some new equipment.
Because of the limited amount of students and her expectations for the band, Lantz initially recruited her older brother, Jeremy, to play. Lantz said he recently had free time between work to play the trumpet during performances.
He’s reduced his role somewhat as the band prepares to play in competitions, but he still helps out.
“My brother has always loved the band,” she said, “he played when he was in high school. He said he wanted to get back into playing … and he had a blast.”
Despite the troubles with shortages in students and using older equipment, Lantz said she’s living in a perfect world.
“In my (job) interview, I said this is what I want to do, this is my dream job. I’m not here to teach college, I’m don’t want to go on to teach anywhere else,” Lantz said. “I don’t know how it could be much better.”
And her love of her job will leave a lasting impact on her students.
Lilly agreed, saying tearfully, “Somebody actually believed in us for once.”
Click here to view videos
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