A Man Who Taught Band - Courtney Tucker

There are days in your school career you will never forget. For some, it is the day they got to bring home a 100 on a math test for the first time. Others, it's the day they got the role in the school play they wanted so badly. Though I have had many, many days I will remember about my school career, one day I will truly never forget is the day my 3rd-grade elementary class went over to the high school building to music class. In elementary school, I never really had one thing I was interested in. I wanted to try a little bit of everything but nothing ever seemed to work out in my favor. In the 3rd grade, though, we were introduced to "a man who taught band." His name is Mr. Alsup. When we were in 6th grade still walking over to the high school, we finally got to play some instruments to see which one we liked the best. I was immediately drawn to the clarinet. Now in the school band, I play the bass clarinet. He's the one who taught me how to play both bass clarinet and regular clarinet. Not only did Mr. Alsup teach me about the thing I love most, music, he also has given me one of the best pieces of advice I've ever heard. I will never forget when Mr. Alsup said to me, "Now Court, you can't always be so stressed out all the time." Every time I am in a stressful situation, I think of what Mr. Alsup told me. I think that the fact that it was him saying it is what means the most to me. Mr. Alsup does not have a single bad bone in his body. He has always been such a good role model to me and anyone else who looks up to him.