In our very first edition of Featured Alumni, we feature two best friends made and maintained through the band!
Emily (Thorn) Bomba (right in pictures) and Rebecca Hughes (left in pictures), both members of the class of 2012, met during their first year in the marching band as 8th graders and have been best friends ever since!
Emily (Thorn) Bomba
Section:
Trumpet
Leadership Positions:
Rocked the “only female trumpet” for 3 years!
College:
Graduated from Penn State with a degree in Chemical Engineering
Current Occupation:
Manufacturing Engineering at AgustaWestland in Philadelphia, PA. I get to build Helicopters!
What was your biggest reason or influence to join the band?
“I played trumpet when I was in elementary school and loved it. The Marching Band had always been my favorite part of the Monroeville 4th of July parades. I had family friends who were in the gateway marching band and knew that I also needed to join!!”
What are your favorite band memories?
Overall, the trips were always a blast! I will never forget walking around at Grand Nationals Indianapolis my first year of band! And seeing bands so! Good! Perform. As brutal as the long days were… I really enjoyed band camp. Especially the 2nd week! It was a time to go all out and learn the show, learn (and improve!) to march, and most importantly, make new friends! The pre-show rituals were always a classic! They really got you focused and set you up for a great performance!
What advice would you give to current members of our ensemble?
For band, and just about anything in life… it’s not going to be easy. It is going to be hard before it gets easy. Stick with it and trust the process!! You do not have to be perfect, but you must always(!!!) do your best. In the end, things will work out!!
For what reason would you urge a young student to join the marching band?
The marching band will teach you how to work hard in a way you never realized! The band will allow you to meet some of the greatest people! The marching band will teach you the importance of teamwork! The marching band will kick your butt, but it will be worth every second!!
How has being an alum of the program at Gateway High School affected your life after high school?
Marching band taught me about teamwork. The importance of being one individual in a much bigger piece! This was such a great tool to have throughout high-school and life!! Marching band is always something I can look back and smile about!
Rebecca Hughes 
Section:
Flute, Mellophone
Leadership Positions:
Drum Major 2010-11
Other Activities:
4 years of GHS Musicals, Interact Club, AIM, Church Choir, Youth Group
College:
Briefly attended Indiana Wesleyan University, majoring in photography and business
Current Occupation:
Oncology Pharmacy Technician
What was your biggest reason or influence to join the band?
My parents and my love for music.
What are your favorite band memories?
I made some of my very best friends in the marching band. I loved competitions and the excitement that came from performing in front of fellow music lovers, friends, and family. The adrenaline rush I’d feel when they would announce us as finalists and even winners, made all the hard work so worth it in the end. Going on trips was also one of my favorite parts. I got to go to many places I never would have otherwise, and be able to share my love of music with people from all over the country. Grand Nationals and Disney World were by far my favorite trips.
What advice would you give to current members of our ensemble?
Stick with it! Yes, there may be hard days. And you may be frustrated when you’re asked to run the same set over and over again. But I promise you, it will be worth it in the end. You will feel such a great reward and have fun all the while.
For what reason would you urge a young student to join the marching band?
Being in the marching band, though at times was a lot of hard work, it was a lot of fun and so rewarding. You will make lifelong friends and have experiences you may not otherwise. Marching band teaches you discipline and resiliency. It teaches you how to work as a team and teaches an incredible work ethic for succeeding in life. The marching band community extends far beyond your own school and even high school. You have the chance to meet kids from other schools and even continue into college, depending on where you go. The experience as a whole is so rewarding.
How has being an alum of the program at Gateway High School affected your life after high school?
I am always so proud to have been in the Gateway Marching Band. I had great teachers and instructors who pushed us to be our very best and helped us to succeed. My experience in marching band taught me how to work hard to succeed, and also to always show up early for things. I learned how to bounce back from disappointments and relish the opportunities I had been given, even if the outcome wasn’t always as expected.
Other thoughts:
Marching band is unlike any other activity or sport you may partake in. If you love music, the marching band is a must. I almost quit the band after sixth grade, but my mom convinced me to continue, and because of that I was able to have some of the best experiences of my teenage years. Forget the stereotype that people in the band are “geeks”. Yes, we’re unique, but it’s because of that uniqueness that we have fun, we flourish, and we thrive. I didn’t have the best high school experience, but the marching band was an outlet for me where I could forget all the other troubles. I made so many great memories that I will never forget. If it wasn’t for the marching band, I wouldn’t have developed the lifelong friendship I have with my very best friend!