ROBERTSDALE, Alabama -- The Robertsdale High Winter Guard was awarded first place at the Gulf Coast Color Guard and Percussion Circuit Championships held at Tate High School in Cantonment, Fla., this past Saturday. They competed in Scholastic Regional A (SRA) classification, and bested seven other schools from surrounding areas.

The Robertsdale Winter Guard is directed by Meredith Anderson, Rachel Nemecek and David Jordan. It is led by Mercedi Thomley and Tayla Lucas, who serve as captains for the 2013 season. Members include Leslie Simmons, Danielle Wagner, Laken Britton, Blair Carrier, Shelby Johnston, Meghan Hadley, Montana Orr, Shelby Ray, Summer Allen, Ciera Miller, Haley Blair, Hannah Henson, and Scarlett Nash. They are supported by their equipment crew, which include Erin Curtis, Heather Wagner, Haley Frichter, Haley White, Hunny Howell, Gary Durant, and Colby Odom.

Robertsdale Winter Guard’s 2013 Production, “Synesthesia,” is a story about ordinary people who see and feel things the rest of us don’t. The show is about a rare brain condition known as Synesthesia, in which music is not only heard, it’s seen through intense color changes and felt through deep emotional connections. The show has been well-received throughout the season, and is a favorite to students and parents alike.

The Winter Guard traveled to Dayton, Ohio, competing  in Winter Guard International World Championships on April 11. They competed against over 40 Winter Guards from around the world, and have the chance of competing up to three times in the competition. The Winter Guard left April 9 and will return on April 14. Results from the competition were not available at presstime.

Winter Guard International Sport of the Arts is the world’s premier organization producing indoor color guard and percussion ensemble competitions. As a non-profit youth organization, WGI serves as the leading governing body of the winter guard and indoor percussion activities. It is called the Sport of the Arts because it brings music to life through performance in a competitive format. Now entering its 36th year, the sport continues to evolve and grow.  There were more than 36,000 participants at the regional level, and more than 11,000 participants at the Sport of the Arts World Championships in April 2012. [Source: http://wgi.org/contents/What-is-WGI.html]

After they compete in Dayton, the Winter Guard will begin auditioning for the 2013 RHS Marching Band. Their Auxiliary Camp (including Color Guard, Weapon Line and Majorettes) will be held April 22, 23, 25, and 26 at the Robertsdale Elementary Multipurpose Room from 5:30 to 8 pm for all interested individuals. Auditions will be held on April 27 at the Robertsdale Elementary Multipurpose Room.

The 2013 Halftime Show picked by the band students is entitled, “Pirates.” Selections will be premiered at the 2013 Spring Band Concert May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the RHS Gym. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend.

The Robertsdale High School Band is under the direction of Robin Williams Isherwood, assisted by M. David Jordan.