Arcadia High School World Guard Made History
The Arcadia High School (AHS) World Guard (Scholastic World Division) placed Third at the 2006 World Guard International (WGI) World Championships held in Dayton, Ohio last April 6-8, 2006. Over 300 teams from more than 40 states and 5 countries participated in the competition.
Often referred to as "The Sport of the Arts," the visual art form of Color Guard incorporates spinning flags, rifles, sabers, and other various pieces of equipment, while performing to a selection of music, classical to contemporary. Dance is also featured and integrated into the spinning (Source: Wikipedia). It’s “Ballet with Equipment,” brags one bumper sticker.
Under the direction of George Armenta, Mindy Cobb, and Nathan Bly, they have elevated the AHS Color Guard to a world-class unit in a very short period of time. The bronze medal in the World Championships Scholastic World division is the highest ever by any school in Southern California.
Asked about the most important preparation the team had to go through to prepare for the world competition, Color Guard Leader Vivian Chen (Senior) answered, “Definitely, [having] the right mentality and a positive attitude.” She said that the guards were determined and motivated; however, their focus was not all about individual accomplishment but the team’s success. She added, “It was also important for the team to trust each other and strive [to perform] for the common goal.”
Rachel Baylon (Senior), Squad Leader and the only four-year World Guard member said, “one can only dream of medalling at WGI.” She added, “Since my freshman year, our instructors have always believed in us; they motivated us and made us feel that we can achieve great things. We did!”
The team is composed of 27 hard-working students, 21 of them are part of the graduating class. A first-year member of the team, Tiffany Lai (Sophomore) shared her sentiments to this group, “I’m glad [that] I was given the opportunity to work alongside a talented and utterly amazing group of seniors. I recognized how badly they wanted to finish their color guard experience as world champions. It definitely shined through their work habits, and their attitudes inspired me to try my best.”
Two weeks after their record-setting performance in Ohio, the AHS World Guard returned to the floor at the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC) Championships. Held at the Bren Center (University of Irvine), the AHS World Guard successfully defended their Gold Medal scoring a record-setting 96.75 points.
Another highlight of this triumphant season was the selection of Desiree Cazares (Senior) to receive award, not once but twice. In Ohio, the WGI organizing committee presented her with one of the five Scholarship Awards; and to everyone’s surprise, the WGASC bestowed her the same recognition. Talking to Desiree after the competition, she said, “I feel so blessed and honored to have been given the opportunity not only to apply for but also to receive these scholarships." She added, “I am proud to be part of a team with great instructors that give endless support and encouragement.
Congratulations to AHS World Guard for a record-breaking season.