by
30. November 2009 17:34
Winter guard isn’t just for high school any more. In fact, college color guard and winter guard can actually help you succeed academically in higher education.
For years, college administrators have known that involvement in student activities and student organizations actually help students’ transition to the college environment. Today, college winter color guards provide important social connection, mentorship and friendship that help reduce the anxiety of freshmen transition. Yet many high school color guard members don’t continue their involvement to college and college administrators are now promoting their students’ continued color guard involvement.
Because college is more expensive than ever before, parents and new students often make the decision to focus all of their efforts on class work and academics. It seems intuitive, but continued research in college and universities indicates that the closely-knit bonds and community created in small group interactions actually helps academic transition. Students who get involved in college activities like color guard and marching band, actually do better than those who do not get involved. Staying involved in color guard acts as a bridge between high school and college. Focusing only on academics can stress students out, and without connection to the college experience beyond the classroom students miss out on important life lessons and friendships.
Others believe that color guard in college will be more expensive than in high school. However, this often isn’t the case. Many college marching bands offer stipends that actually pay students for being in fall marching band. In many cases, the money earned from marching in the fall can pay, or nearly pay for, the winter guard activity. Today, there are more and more college color guards hitting the gym floor, and they’re good! Winter Guard International recently featured the winter guard activity in college in its magazine FOCUS. College winter programs are winning regional and national awards.
Involvement with college color guard may be most important for students who commute to college rather than living on campus. Recent data from a college in southern California indicated that commuter students who lived off campus were nearly twice as likely to drop out of college by their junior year. When asked why they left the college environment, these commuter students indicated they were not involved in college activities and never made a connection to the college. However, students in marching band and color guard actually report a stronger connection, better grades and happier college experience.
If you’re debating whether or not to stay involved with guard in college, give it a try. If nothing else, give it a year. You’ll be surprised to see how guard can translate to quicker transition to college.
Randy Timm, M.S. Ed
Director of Student Life & Leadership
San Diego State University