Scappoose High School band shines in recent competitions

In only his second year as director of bands at the Scappoose Middle and High schools, Ronnie LaGrone is seeing his students reach impressive goals.

At Sherwood High School recently, in a Northwest Association for Performing Arts (NWAPA) competition, LaGrone’s band earned first place in the open class concert percussion division April 6.

The Scappoose High School Percussion Ensemble, made up of 14 members, were entered in this competition as well as other percussion ensembles from schools including Sherwood, Mountainside and Glencoe.

In another honor, Scappoose High School percussion was involved in a regional District 3 Ensemble Festival in early March, where host Scappoose won the large percussion ensemble division and went on to state. The District 3 Solo & Ensemble festival included schools such as Astoria, St. Helens, Forest Grove and Seaside.

At the state large ensemble competition at Mt. Hood Community College, “We were going against everyone in the state,” LaGrone said. “We were in the middle of the pack, of 18 groups present.”

Another honor goes to Molly Heimbuck, a junior at Scappoose High School, who plays tenor saxophone.

“She won her division at the District 3 solo event and she advanced to state,” he said, noting that Heimbuck ended up taking first in state for her division.

While the percussion program at Scappoose High School has concluded for the year, the high school band itself will go to state next week in Corvallis.

“Of all the 4A bands in the state, 10 are chosen to compete in the finals,” LaGrone said. “We are in the top 10.”

LaGrone said he is proud of the band’s accomplishments in the short time he has been band director.

“The kids work really hard,” he said. “There has not been any pushback. The kids have just been accepting. I say ‘hey, we should do this,’ and they’re right along there with me.”

LaGrone added, “We have about 50 band members at the middle school and 50 at the high school. I would say this is one of the best communities I have worked in. The community is giving, overall.”

LaGrone offered another bit of good news, announcing that the Scappoose High School Band will be performing in the Portland Rose Festival Starlight Parade on June 1.

“My goal this year was to get them in that parade,” he said.