State Champions: College Admission Essay Sample

Tell us an accomplishment, talent, or quality about yourself. What about this accomplishment or quality relates to who you are today?

“State Champions.”

Those are two words any competitor would like to hear, and I had the privilege and honor of hearing them in my sophomore year in the regiment, or band and colorguard. People typically react with surprise when they learn that bands compete. “But band is not a sport!” they say, bewildered. It might not be typical, but it takes the same determination to be a champion regiment as any traditional athletic team. The experience of being in the regiment is extraordinary, and I will try my best to explain the unbelievable feeling of marching on a field under the Saturday night lights.

Simply imagine practicing for countless hours during the summer and the school year. Think about the heat and sweat you would have to endure. For the band, it is about having perfect marching technique and hitting specific spots to create artful formations with each individual, all the while playing your instrument, keeping your notes and tune perfect, and staying in tempo! With the colorguard, it is also about hitting your spots and creating formations, in addition to maneuvering equipment, having perfect dance technique, and being in sync with the rest of the colorguard. Imagine perfecting all these aspects for a ten minute show! To endure this grueling work, the bruises (from rifles/sabres being tossed six feet into the air and landing on your arm), and the tears represent true discipline, dedication, and passion. Every member of the regiment is reminded of their passion when stepping onto that field to perform in front of hundreds of people. This is when all the work pays off and when you can prove just how good your family of the regiment truly is.

Up to my sophomore year Nogales had been notorious for its inconsistency and underdog status, and maybe even a joke. However, 2005 was a different year. The Nogales regiment had been doing well all season, but it was only at Championships that the winner would be declared. After performing, the regiment waited to hear the results. Our band director gathered us into a huddle with tears in his eyes and voice. He could only utter two words, “State Champions.” We had beaten Trabucco, the consistent champions of many previous years. You could hear the gasps emanate throughout the regiment. Everyone broke out in laughter and tears of joy and disbelief. It was then I realized just what an honor it is to be apart of a group like that.

I reflected upon just how much the regiment had contributed to molding me as a person. I learned responsibility by balancing my IB classes with a demanding activity. I learned dedication by not quitting after rough times. I learned discipline as the regiment worked as a team and as a family. Above all, I discovered passion: the indescribable feeling one gets in his or her heart when doing something he or she loves.