Seniors in the Marching Band at LR Southwest High School get millions in scholarships

Little Rock, Arkansas – After senior members of the Little Rock Southwest High School band receive millions in scholarships, the band is marching toward success.

The high school honored the senior members of the Supersonic Storm of Southwest Band with a ceremony on Friday.

The high school’s director of bands, Jose Holloway, revealed that the 12 seniors had received over $3 million in college scholarships between them.

“Today was all about celebrating student excellence at Southwest High School because right now we get a bad reputation,” Holloway said.

According to Holloway, he wants to remove a stigma.

“Band is not just for fun, it is fun, but these colleges will pay their way while they play their way in school,” Holloway said.

Senior Anna Belin, a trumpet player, states that she genuinely thought they may get this scholarship.

“I had no doubt and I’m so inspired by my classmates as well as Mr. Holloway, there was no doubt in my mind we could accomplish this,” Holloway said.

Although Belin claims to have gotten at least ten scholarship offers from other colleges, she has chosen to enroll at Tennessee State University.

“I would have never thought I would be in this position,” Belin said.

Senior trumpet player Dylan Hewing claims he was also given a scholarship offer to Tennessee State University.

“Being younger, I wasn’t expecting to get this far,” Hewing said.

Playing their favorite instrument again excites them both.

“The trumpet has so much range and versatility it’s an instrument you want to keep coming back too,” Belin said.

Hewing, for his part, claims that being in the band has given him greater self-assurance.

“I can say now I’m very confident I will get there and continue to work hard,” Hewing said.

Holloway wants everyone to know that the band still has hope for the future.

“This really can take you all the way to the Super Bowl. We have had people graduate from UAPB who now play for Beyonce and Justin Timberlake,” Holloway said.

Hewing and Belin both intend to take the march to victory.

“My main plan after college is to be a music producer and also a musical performer,” Hewing said.

As for Belin, she says, “I would love to be on a movie set some day and play the background music.”

According to Holloway, they’ve also been asked to participate in a showcase in Atlanta, Georgia the following month. They are holding fundraisers to pay for their vacation because they are $5,000 short of their target.