MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Rules By: Representative Holloway (27th) House Resolution 92 (As Adopted by House) A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING THE MEMBERS OF THE LEAKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MR. TANARRI MOORE, DIRECTOR OF BANDS, AND MR. ALEX DAVIS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BANDS, FOR MAKING MISSISSIPPI HISTORY WHEN IT REPRESENTED THE STATE IN THE 105TH DUNKIN THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND FOR THEIR OTHER OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS. WHEREAS, the Leake County High School Marching Band, under the leadership of Mr. Tanarri Moore, Director of Bands, and Mr. Alex Davis, Assistant Director of Bands, made Mississippi history when it represented the state in the 105th Dunkin Thanksgiving Day parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the first band ever to do so, and the band will continue to enrich the state's history when it becomes the first band again to represent Mississippi in the West Virginia Strawberry Festival in May 2025; and WHEREAS, the Leake County High School Marching Band, formerly known as the South Leake High School Marching Band, is located in Walnut Grove, Mississippi, and under the direction of Mr. Tanarri Moore, a native of Shaw, Mississippi, who has been an educator for at least 20 years; and WHEREAS, as a graduate from Mississippi Valley State University under Mr. Leonard Tramiel, Mr. Moore began his passion for teaching band in 2004 in Shaw, and he continued his career in 2008 at Robert L. Merritt Middle School for grades 6th through 8th and also at Gentry High School; and WHEREAS, in 2014, Mr. Moore continued his career at Leland High School until 2018, and during his tenure there, he set the standard of excellence and changed their band program; and WHEREAS, on July 18th, Mr. Moore began his journey teaching students to become musicians with a purpose as the director of the Leake County High School Marching Band, and when he arrived, the program only had eight students, but with an ambition to change the overall band program, his goal focused on giving the students more opportunities and strengthening the culture; and WHEREAS, to help further his goals and ambitions, Mr. Moore had the Leake County High School Marching Band performing in local parades, and they traveled to Mississippi Valley State University yearly to participate in the band's high school day, where students joined with other neighboring schools to train under the university's section leaders; and WHEREAS, over time, the band began to grow stronger and stronger, and by 2022, the membership had increased to 37 students and the band's musical sounds started to gain the attention of the community, and as more invitations began to come in from other community functions, the parents of the Soul of the Grove Band Boosters knuckled down to work hard on making sure students had the things they needed to perform; and WHEREAS, on February 15, 2024, the band was invited to the Krewe of Neptune's parade, where their performance for the news crew was aired on television for the first time, and in May 2024, Mr. Moore submitted an application for the band to perform in the 105th Dunkin Thanksgiving Day parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which aired on ABC; and WHEREAS, Mr. Moore's application was immediately accepted by the program's committee, and the Leake County High School Marching Band not only became the first band from Mississippi to participate in the Dunkin Thanksgiving Day Parade in all of its 105 years, but the band was also the only band chosen to represent Mississippi in this parade; and WHEREAS, the Soul of the Grove Band Boosters' hard work and the community's donations provided all of the needed expenses, so, on November 28, 2024, the Leake County High School Marching Band skillfully maneuvered the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and delighted the crowd with their musical numbers, and they represented our state with acclaim as they made history and established themselves as Mississippi's first marching band to participate in the parade; and WHEREAS, because of their immense success and newfound fame after the Dunkin Thanksgiving Day parade, the Leake County High School Marching Band was invited to participate in the West Virginia Strawberry Festival and will again be the first Mississippi band invited to compete in that festival against other band programs across the nation and internationally; and WHEREAS, if the band scores 80 points in either the concert evaluation or parade evaluation during the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, it will qualify for both the international competition held in Ireland and the championship in Mexico in 2026; and WHEREAS, the marching band membership has increased to 56 students and will keep growing stronger as each member, along with Mr. Moore and Mr. Davis, continue to strive to challenge themselves, meet their goals, reach their fullest potential and achieve greatness; and WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend outstanding Mississippi students, especially those such as the members of the Leake County High School Band, who have brought honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize and commend the members of the Leake County High School Marching Band under the leadership of Mr. Tanarri Moore, Director of Bands, and Mr. Alex Davis, Assistant Director of Bands, for making Mississippi history when it represented the state in the 105th Dunkin Thanksgiving Day parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and for their other outstanding achievements, and extend best wishes for continued success in all their future endeavors. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mr. Tanarri Moore and Mr. Alex Davis and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Holloway (27th)
# House Resolution 92
## (As Adopted by House)
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING THE MEMBERS OF THE LEAKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MR. TANARRI MOORE, DIRECTOR OF BANDS, AND MR. ALEX DAVIS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BANDS, FOR MAKING MISSISSIPPI HISTORY WHEN IT REPRESENTED THE STATE IN THE 105TH DUNKIN THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND FOR THEIR OTHER OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS.
WHEREAS, the Leake County High School Marching Band, under the leadership of Mr. Tanarri Moore, Director of Bands, and Mr. Alex Davis, Assistant Director of Bands, made Mississippi history when it represented the state in the 105th Dunkin Thanksgiving Day parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the first band ever to do so, and the band will continue to enrich the state's history when it becomes the first band again to represent Mississippi in the West Virginia Strawberry Festival in May 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Leake County High School Marching Band, formerly known as the South Leake High School Marching Band, is located in Walnut Grove, Mississippi, and under the direction of Mr. Tanarri Moore, a native of Shaw, Mississippi, who has been an educator for at least 20 years; and
WHEREAS, as a graduate from Mississippi Valley State University under Mr. Leonard Tramiel, Mr. Moore began his passion for teaching band in 2004 in Shaw, and he continued his career in 2008 at Robert L. Merritt Middle School for grades 6th through 8th and also at Gentry High School; and
WHEREAS, in 2014, Mr. Moore continued his career at Leland High School until 2018, and during his tenure there, he set the standard of excellence and changed their band program; and
WHEREAS, on July 18th, Mr. Moore began his journey teaching students to become musicians with a purpose as the director of the Leake County High School Marching Band, and when he arrived, the program only had eight students, but with an ambition to change the overall band program, his goal focused on giving the students more opportunities and strengthening the culture; and
WHEREAS, to help further his goals and ambitions, Mr. Moore had the Leake County High School Marching Band performing in local parades, and they traveled to Mississippi Valley State University yearly to participate in the band's high school day, where students joined with other neighboring schools to train under the university's section leaders; and
WHEREAS, over time, the band began to grow stronger and stronger, and by 2022, the membership had increased to 37 students and the band's musical sounds started to gain the attention of the community, and as more invitations began to come in from other community functions, the parents of the Soul of the Grove Band Boosters knuckled down to work hard on making sure students had the things they needed to perform; and
WHEREAS, on February 15, 2024, the band was invited to the Krewe of Neptune's parade, where their performance for the news crew was aired on television for the first time, and in May 2024, Mr. Moore submitted an application for the band to perform in the 105th Dunkin Thanksgiving Day parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which aired on ABC; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Moore's application was immediately accepted by the program's committee, and the Leake County High School Marching Band not only became the first band from Mississippi to participate in the Dunkin Thanksgiving Day Parade in all of its 105 years, but the band was also the only band chosen to represent Mississippi in this parade; and
WHEREAS, the Soul of the Grove Band Boosters' hard work and the community's donations provided all of the needed expenses, so, on November 28, 2024, the Leake County High School Marching Band skillfully maneuvered the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and delighted the crowd with their musical numbers, and they represented our state with acclaim as they made history and established themselves as Mississippi's first marching band to participate in the parade; and
WHEREAS, because of their immense success and newfound fame after the Dunkin Thanksgiving Day parade, the Leake County High School Marching Band was invited to participate in the West Virginia Strawberry Festival and will again be the first Mississippi band invited to compete in that festival against other band programs across the nation and internationally; and
WHEREAS, if the band scores 80 points in either the concert evaluation or parade evaluation during the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, it will qualify for both the international competition held in Ireland and the championship in Mexico in 2026; and
WHEREAS, the marching band membership has increased to 56 students and will keep growing stronger as each member, along with Mr. Moore and Mr. Davis, continue to strive to challenge themselves, meet their goals, reach their fullest potential and achieve greatness; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend outstanding Mississippi students, especially those such as the members of the Leake County High School Band, who have brought honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize and commend the members of the Leake County High School Marching Band under the leadership of Mr. Tanarri Moore, Director of Bands, and Mr. Alex Davis, Assistant Director of Bands, for making Mississippi history when it represented the state in the 105th Dunkin Thanksgiving Day parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and for their other outstanding achievements, and extend best wishes for continued success in all their future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mr. Tanarri Moore and Mr. Alex Davis and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.