SCHS marching band was officially recognized by Mayor Lisa Gillmor on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, celebrating a season characterized by growth and achievement. Parents and officials from the SCUSD district gathered to acknowledge the ensemble’s hard work.
Music director Johnny Erdman mentioned that when he first heard the announcement, the recognition for SCHS’s band took him by surprise.
“A lot of times marching bands and really just music go unrecognized and underappreciated. When you do get recognized for the hard work that you do, it’s surprising. It’s an honor,” Erdman said.
He added that the marching band’s success during games and performances is tied to the team’s supportive culture built during practices.
“At the heart of it is the culture that we have here at Santa Clara High School, where we try to work on kindness and compassion and caring, as well as developing a good work ethic,” Erdman said. “We hope that translates onto the field during performances.”
Although this is his first year with the band, freshman synthesizer player Aditya Prasad highlighted the importance of the award and its connection to their development throughout the season.
“It’s really cool since I believe we’ve improved a lot over this season,” Prasad said. “Since everyone plays a part, it’s great that we’re all being honored.”
Senior baritone player Dinah Schofield shared that the news was a motivating factor for her during the busy season.
“We first heard about this recognition in the middle of our season. It was exciting and also very encouraging to hear that our effort was being seen,” Schofield said.
Looking back on the season, Prasad believes a specific moment helped bring attention to the band.
“I think getting second at James Logan (competition at James Logan High School) really helped achieve our recognition,” Prasad said. “That was a major accomplishment for us.”
Schofield explained that the honor reflects the band’s commitment to work on individual skills and as a team.
“We’re constantly learning, developing our skills and building relationships throughout our season,” Schofield said. “Every little moment has made us the band that we are, which is reflected on the field in performances that earn us recognitions like this.”
Grateful for the honor from the mayor, Erdman looked back on the motivation pushing the team forward. Similar to Schofield’s dedication to marching band, Erdman hopes students can find their community and passion at SCHS.
“My hope is that this passion becomes contagious,” Erdman said. “Imagine if everyone on campus had something they were willing to spend an extra fifty hours on. This campus would be a much more positive and happy place.”