Bellefonte’s do-it-all Drum Major
Senior Lizzie Giacobe
October 5, 2018
Senior Lizzie Giacobe has tackled the obstacles of high school with poise and passion, overcoming anything that stands in her way through her love of music and fierce determination. Being Drum Major of the school’s Marching Band, and a member of Jazz Band, National Honors Society, Drama Club, Indoor Majorettes, Class Cabinet, as well as an avid participant in PMEA music festivals keeps Lizzie busy. On top of that, she is taking four AP classes this year, working to challenge herself both artistically and extracurricularly as well as academically.
“It’s hard to juggle extracurriculars and school. I manage my time well, but even still, life gets in the way and things get stressful,” she said.
And Lizzie has certainly felt that pressure this year. How does she deal with it? Planning and prioritizing.
“I have a planner, which gets me through a lot. The key for me is to stay organized. If I am not organized I won’t get things done. School is always priority for me, and should be for most people, so if I have too much on my plate, I have to drop an extracurricular…That has always been something very hard for me,” Lizzie said.
Her organizational abilities and ambition do not go unnoticed around the school. Everyone, both peers and teachers, have something nice to say about her.
“She’s a very knowledgeable student, she really understand the material. She doesn’t take what I say as fact, she wants to know the why behind it. She’s a very deep learner and understands things very deeply. She’s so enthusiastic in class, and just a great student,” science teacher Mr. Chris Friedhoff said.
And her friends have only good things to say about her, showing just how much her passion and energy flow into her care for others.
“Lizzie has been one of my best friends since middle school and has helped me through so many of my troubles and doubts. I don’t know what I would do without such an incredible person in my life — Zoey Cole
Lizzie’s compassion will certainly come in handy this year as she’s taken on the role of drum major, supporting our school’s band and football team. She talks passionately of her love for music, and how it led her to her position as drum major.
“Taking the role as drum major has been a life changing experience so far. When auditioning, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but it’s a wonderful world on the other side of music. I have learned so much, just about life and leadership from this experience,” she said.
Lizzie talks glowingly of the Bellefonte music program, openly discussing how it has positively impacted her life. She credits a large part of her own talent and growth as individual to music and Bellefonte’s program.
“My favorite thing about Bellefonte is our music program. I am so lucky to have grown up with Bellefonte’s music program because it is so supportive. Honestly coming into the high school as a freshman was scary, but if I didn’t have band I don’t know what I would have done. I have met so many people through band and I have developed so many skills that I would not have if I wasn’t in band,” said Lizzie.
Although Lizzie does very well on her own, she also, like many of us, depends on her friends and family to support her through school and her activities.
“Marching band is such an important part of my life because it’s like having a second family. The support that I get and give in marching band is incredible. We all know that if someone is having a bad day that their band family will be there to support and love them.”
