Washougal students qualify for honor band

Thirty-eight Washougal School District middle and high school students have been selected to participate in the 2023-34 North County Honor Band. 

The band will perform at 6 p.m. Feb. 3 at Hockinson High School. The concert is free and open to the public.

“We’re so proud of our band students participating in North County Honor Band this year,” Lora Brandt and Jennifer Hodapp, band directors at Canyon Creek Middle School and Jemtegaard Middle School, said in a joint statement. “It is a huge honor and a testament to all of the work that they’ve put into developing their art in band class.” 

Approximately 150 students from Battle Ground, Camas, Hockinson, La Center, Ridgefield, Washougal and Woodland high schools qualified to participate, according to a news release. 

The middle school honor band will be directed by Jeff Wilson, band director at Rex Putnam High School and Alder Creek Middle School in the North Clackamas (Oregon) School District. The high school honor band will be directed by Erik Leung, director of bands at Oregon State University.

The North County Honor Band is “a tradition and an honor for student musicians across Clark County,” according to the news release.

“North County Honor Band is a truly collaborative effort between band directors of some of our smaller middle and high schools in Clark County to expose some of our exceptional musicians to a high-quality musical experience,” said Hockinson High band director Corey McEnry, band director.

Nia Black, Kylie Woodruff, Amberlin McBee, Deaglan McGrath, Rebekah Nelson and Thor Richardson have been selected from Jemtegaard Middle School. Cheyenne Jackson, Grady Johnson, Charlotte Murray, Eli Rish and Jacob Wall qualified from Canyon Creek Middle School. Shane Adelman, James Byrum, David Cuanas, Jack Dryden, David Finchum, Angel Garibay-Villa, Samantha Gifford, Anastasia Green, Bentley Jarman, Rebecca Jarman, Alyssa Johnson, Clara Jones, Tristan Kassick, Avri Kauffman, Jake Kettleson, Tanner Lowe, Kuryn Morris, Breyon Morris, Zachary Nelson, Abigail Picho, Lucas Sanders, Lulan Soutter, Isabella Straus, Jayden Vasquez, Nathan Webb, Ellison Wilkins, and Cole Wilson have been selected from Washougal High School.