There are many measures of success for the Cario Bands Program, not the least of which is our incredible growth over the last 2 school years -- we have over 300 students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade bands! Through the unrelenting pursuit of "excellence through music" by our directors and students, the Cario Bands Program has established a reputation for having the highest of standards and producing outstanding results. Fifth grade students from our three "feeder" elementary schools come to us in droves and can't wait to get in on the action in the Cario Band Room!
Band and Ensemble Awards
More tangible than that are the awards the Program has received when performing as an ensemble at various festivals and competitions. Since 2001, the Cario Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Mr. Scott, has aced every event they've entered, receiving both straight superior ratings at the South Carolina Concert Festival and the SCBDA's Outstanding Performance Award. The Wind Ensemble received such high praise during the last few years that very prominent national, and possibly even international, competitions may become available to this program in the not-too-distant future. They were the 2003 Grand Champions at the All-Star Music Festival in Orlando and were awarded straight superior ratings at the 2004 National Adjudicators Invitational in Washington, D.C., despite being only one of two middle schools among a vast field of impressive high school band programs. In 2005, they once again were Grand Champions at the Dixie Classic competition in Orlando, outscoring an all-high school field of competitors.
Student Achievements and Awards
Students also have opportunities for recognition of their individual performance skills at the All-County, Region 4, and All-State Band auditions. When students are selected to one or more of these honor bands, they then have the privilege of attending the band clinic for that event, which culminates in a concert performance with all other selected students from the county, region, or state. It's a wonderful learning experience for the students and a memorable concert performance for students and families alike. The success of Cario's program is evident in the numbers of students represented in the rosters for previous years SC All-State and Region 4 bands.
Additionally, students may participate in the Solo & Ensemble Festival, the last competition of the school year, designed to recognize individual and small group ensemble performance excellence. A student's rating at Solo & Ensemble is the final factor for determining eligibility in the Cario Honor Band.
Cario Honor Band
The Cario Honor Band is a perpetual group of those students in 7th and 8th grades who are recognized for their all-around excellence as band students over the course of the school year. It is truly a coveted distinction, as it requires an accumulation of points awarded for the following: having straight A's in band class; attending all band performances; earning membership in the All-County Band and in either the Region 4 Symphonic Band or the All-State Band; receiving superior (or excellent) ratings for the 7th Grade Symphonic or Wind Ensemble Bands at Concert Festival; and receiving a superior (or excellent) rating at Solo & Ensemble. Additionally, the Cario Honor Band candidate (family) must volunteer 3 hours in service to the Band. It is a challenging and demanding quest and requires great dedication to the Band Program on the part of the student.
6th Grade Cario Honor Medal
As demanding as the Honor Band requirements are for 7th and 8th graders, the requirements for the Cario Honor Medal seem just as challenging to Cario's first year band students. This award recognizes significant student achievement during 6th grade and is given to students who have shown the highest levels of dedication and accomplishment during the school year. To earn the 6th Grade Honor Medal, students must successfully complete all assigned pass-offs in the Essential Elements 2000, Bk. 1; maintain an "A" average in band for each grading period; have no discipline referrals in band; attend three school concerts per semester, i.e., Wando, Laing, Moultrie, or Cario, or a concert which includes the student’s instrument; and volunteer a minimum of three hours in service to the band.