Farmer Focus: Junior Katherine Skidmore

‘I always knew that I was going to join band … and someone told me that music would help me with math, so why not?’

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Beatriz Vargas

“[Being in band] definitely made starting high school easier.”

This week’s Farmer Focus is on junior Katherine Skidmore, a band member who serves as a flute section leader.

SNAPSHOTS

Favorite restaurant: SushiYAA

Greatest fear: Being rejected

Favorite app: Twitter

Favorite clothing store: Forever 21

Technology you can’t live without: Cell phone

ZOOMING IN

Q: Why did you join band?

A: “I always knew that I was going to join band. My parents have always wanted me to be in band. I played the piano when I was little. And someone told me that music would help me with math, so why not?”

Q: What is your favorite part about being in band?

A: “Definitely the people. In band you have rehearsal and we travel a lot. You get to become closer to the people in your section and people also outside of your section because you hang out around the other people in band the majority of the week.”

Q: What’s your biggest struggle with being in band?

A: “Definitely time. Like I said, we have a lot of rehearsals. Altogether, it’s about seven to seven and a half hours out of the week just outside of school, so it’s hard to find time to do things just for you. It’s pretty hard to manage your time.”

Q: Who is your biggest supporter?

A: “My parents. When I’m practicing in my room, they’ll always come in and peek their head in like ‘Hey, sounds great.’”

Q: How nerve-racking is All Region?

A: “It’s really scary performing in front of about 20 people that you don’t know and then there’s judges that you can’t see, but you can hear them … especially when you’re playing and you can hear their pencils on the papers.”

Q: How does band help with making friends and being social in school?

A: “We spend a lot of time together and with other students. I was in freshman band camp, which was six days out of the week, so whenever I started [high] school, it wasn’t that nerve-racking because I already knew a lot of people from camp. It definitely made starting high school easier.”

Q: What is your favorite piece of music?

A: “It’s actually a Christmas song, Carol of the Bells.”