January 16, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Get to know SJO marching band member Kirsten Schaefer

My favorite part about marching band is the endless support that is shared throughout the band with one another and people’s willingness to help others.

My favorite memory from the marching band is having a dance party in the instrument storage room to hype us up minutes before a show.


My favorite piece to perform is DeComposers from my freshman year because there were so many pieces of choreography in it and marching band that year made me feel like I had found my place in high school.


My favorite costume to wear is the normal marching band uniform because of the bright blue plume and how simple it is to put on.


A misconception about marching band is that it is easy. Marching band is unrelenting with its need for extreme amounts of mental and physical concentration.

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