Marching to the beat of a different drummer

Wed, May 16th 2012, 09:47 AM

Through music it was the goal of the police to inspire school students to improve academically and learn about conflict resolution, with the formation of the Royal Bahamas Police Force Combined Youth Band two years ago, but in that short period, the group has already made a lasting impact on the lives of the 80-plus student members. It has since grown to be a lifelong learning ground and even a second family to many of the young people.
For students like 15-year-old Devante Rolle, prior to joining the band finding something constructive to do with his time was something he struggled with. The band was a lifesaver for the Government High School student. He was so disinterested in things around him that his grades were well below average and he couldn't care less about his academic pitfalls. All of that changed in a matter of weeks after he joined the RBPF combined band over a year ago. The moment he started to learn about music from the police officers and took what they were teaching him seriously, he said he felt something change in him.
"Before I joined the band I was pretty down. My grades were not good. I think I may have had a 1.00 grade point average... and I didn't care enough to want to do any better. But when I joined the band and started to play the instruments I just felt so good about myself."
He felt even better when he learned different instruments and the younger members looked to him for help. He said their turning to him for advice made him happy.

Lessons learned
Rolle also learned life lessons from the strict regimen and band practice sessions which he was able to apply to his life. He now proudly boasts of a 2.5 grade point average. His change in attitude also brought him the honor of being named a prefect.
Discipline and responsibility are the key things that 14-year-old Nathan McPhee is learning from being a part of the combined band. One of the original members, McPhee, a student at St. John's College said he has seen his ability to respect others and lead strengthened.
The dedication and patience he had to learn in order to play his instrument overflowed into his school work and he is now is scoring a 79.5 out of 100 percent average in his classes. A fundamental lesson he learns weekly with the band is how to be a better person and not give in to violence or anger, no matter his emotional state. This is something he hopes other young people can be a part of as well.
Band newcomer Ashton Archer, 13, who joined four months ago, said he has already seen the positive impact it is having on his life. The H.O. Nash student said it allows him to interact with students from other schools and form relationships despite them all coming from different walks of life.
The seventh grade student said he is keeping his grades up in order to stay in the band and even aspires to be a police officer one day because of the band's influence.
"I like that the band is organized and I meet new people. I am really learning to be respectful and disciplined as well. It's helping me to do well in school and I definitely would encourage other students to be a part of the band, because it's a lot of fun and you get to really learn about playing music. It's really a great after-school program to be a part of," said Archer.
The combined youth band is open to young people between the ages of seven and 17 from throughout The Bahamas.

Purpose
The band's primary purpose is crime prevention, and the instructors are committed to achieving the program's objectives which entails teaching music, instilling discipline, conflict resolution, respect for authority and property, community service and effective communication, as well as motivating members to pursue academic excellence.
Band leaders include band director Sergeant Theodore Campbell; deputy director Sergeant Dwight Rolle; drill master and disciplinarian PC 3079 Loran Bailey, who is leader of the percussion line; assistant conductor PC 3403 Anthony Capron, who is in charge of the woodwind section; Kendia Barr, band coordinator and Lynn Munnings, president of the parent association.
"Prior to the establishment of the combined band we had different community police youth bands and we still do, but the combined band is different," said Sergeant Campbell. "It is something of prestige that the average community police band member can now aspire to joining. We are having great success thus far and I am really happy with the way things are going."
But things were not always smooth sailing. He said police officers had a task getting the young people to get accustomed to each other and that there was a lot of turmoil for the first two weeks of the summer program. He said by the end of the third week something beautiful happened and that they all became a family.
"The kind of comradery the kids had was unbelievable. We decided we didn't want to just send them back out to their community bands or their perspective homes, so it was decided that the band would be a long-term thing and we would continue to cater to all the communities' top members."

Practice
Band members have weekly practices with their community bands and meet up once a week at the police band room on Thompson Boulevard next to the Police College for practice.
Because they meet once per week, Sergeant Campbell said the sessions are intense and they really push students to reach their potential in music, as well as learn about peacefully dealing with everyday emotions effectively.
Besides learning about anger management and conflict resolutions, the band practices also serve as an impetus for the students to excel academically. Members can get help with subjects like Mathematics and English. Their goal is to have every band member with at least a 2.5 GPA. While many of the students are excelling and others are showing steady progress, the few that are not are still encouraged within the band. The band director does not make them leave. He instead rewards those doing well with privileges and recognition which usually urges the more lax students to buckle up so they can be recognized the next time around.
Since the band's inception proper music etiquette and skill has been taught extensively which has resulted in 33 band members being offered music scholarships at Norfolk State University in Virginia. Sergeant Campbell said so far, four of their members have been able to take up the scholarship offer and sought post-secondary education.
Other members are sitting Royal School music theory examinations . In February they had 16 members sitting the exam. The results showed five passed with distinctions, eight with merits and three with passes.
"This alone is saying to us that the students are doing really well and grasping what they are learning in a relatable way," said the band director. "This is only the beginning and we are proud of the strides they are taking."
And they're not just practicing and sitting examinations, the band has been able to put on display what they've learned at a number of events, including the official visit of Prince Harry, the Independence Cultural Festival, The Battle of the Bands, Junkanoo Summer Festival, Union Village Festival, Band Encounter and the National Youth March.
Sergeant Campbell said through the band, their goal is to always expose the young people to positive things so they can see what they are worth and not be tempted to get into problems. He hopes their continued good work and national performances will show them they have potential and that they should keep on trying.
"The band is not the end all for the kids. We want to be a helping hand and show them the way. But for some this is what they love so we don't just let them go at 17 if they don't want to leave. We can then send them over to the Police Cadet program which will prepare them for joining the Police Force Band, Defence Force Band or even the Prison band one day," said Sergeant Campbell. "We want to inspire them no matter what to pursue dreams and stay out of trouble. Keep positivity in their minds and see music as a discipline that will benefit them later in life. They are doing well so far and we can't wait to see the positive and productive citizens that will be formed from this program in time."

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