With the 2026 school year coming to a close, many different classes are concluding their studies and lectures. The Washington High School Band, however, has been hard at work preparing for Competitions, performances, and senior sendoffs. For many seniors in band, this isn’t just the end of a high school elective, but a reflection of all the hardships they went through and accomplishments they earned.
According to senior student Christian Querubin, who is an alto saxophonist, the band’s schedule included major performances like CMEA on April 18, as well as the Forum Festival which was also paired with a band trip to Great America. “We also had one more concert, the spring concert towards the end of the year, and that was our last performance,” says Querubin.
On top of band-specific events, many senior band members are also excited for events outside the band. Darren Lai highlights how he was excited for things like Senior Breakfast, Senior Superlatives, and graduation as some final opportunities to bond with his fellow seniors before his high school career comes to an end. “There aren’t too many band-specific events remaining,” says Justin Chen who shares Darren’s sentiments about how significant these school wide senior events are.
When asked about what events excited them most, either within or outside of the band, the different answers given were all still reflective of bonding and fun. Querubin said he was “most excited for the Forum Festival one, the one [where they went] to Great America…because I haven’t been to Great America with the band before.” Lai and Chen both expressed how they were most excited for prom, as they believed it would be a grand and final conclusion to their senior year.
Reflecting on the band as a whole for just this year, Christian and Darren both expressed how they believed this year was a good year for the band and a time for improvement and to test their practiced effort. Students unanimously agreed that their senior year was a time of reflection upon their personal growth throughout their Washington High School Band career. Christian explained, “I feel like I’ve really developed throughout my high school band career…But now as a senior, I feel like I’m able to confidently play difficult pieces…and I honestly enjoy it too.” Lai also shared positive sentiments about how he believed he gained life skills such as leadership, teamwork, and self-awareness, saying it was “really successful overall.”
While many of these students explained that they could have done things better/differently for their band and overall high school career, it’s also important to remember that each and every one of them left complex and meaningful marks on their peers and school. Through all their practice, competitions, and mistakes, they all can look back and see how far they’ve come this year, as well as the many more years they still have to grow and improve in the future!
Nathan Tran is now a senior at Washington High School. He has lived in Fremont all his life and this is his first year working on The Hatchet. Nathan is very interested in covering various topics relating to social studies, including history, economics, and more. In his free time, Nathan likes to play video games, cook with friends, and go on walks with his dog. As of right now he’s unsure of what his future will be, although he hopes to work in something related to aviation.