<BillNo> <Sponsor>
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 553
By Sparks
HJR0553
006889
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A RESOLUTION to recognize and commend the members of the
Stewarts Creek High School Band for their
service as ambassadors of Tennessee during
their performance at the Sixtieth Presidential
Inaugural Parade.
WHEREAS, it is the privilege of the members of this General Assembly to recognize
those exemplary Tennessee public high school music programs that embody exceptional talent,
dedication, and service, proudly representing our State on the local, national, and international
stages; and
WHEREAS, one such distinguished group of young musicians is the Stewarts Creek
High School Band, founded in 2013, which has quickly established itself as a source of
immense pride for the Town of Smyrna and Rutherford County by consistently demonstrating
musical excellence and community service; and
WHEREAS, since its founding, the Stewarts Creek High School Band has consistently
upheld a high standard of musical excellence, receiving superior ratings in concert and sight-
reading performance from the Middle Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association
(MTSBOA) and recognition from the Tennessee Arts Academy, including the 2024 "School of
Merit" and "Arts-Rich High School" designations; and
WHEREAS, the Stewarts Creek High School Band has been honored seven times by
the American School Band Directors Association with the prestigious Award of Distinction in
Concert Performance; and
WHEREAS, demonstrating its artistic distinction, the Stewarts Creek High School Wind
Ensemble was selected to perform at the Sixty-First Annual Tennessee Music Education
Association (TMEA) Music Education Conference; and
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WHEREAS, the Stewarts Creek High School Band routinely leads all Rutherford County
schools in the number of students earning selection to the esteemed MTSBOA All-Mid-State
Bands and the TMEA All-State Bands through competitive auditions; and
WHEREAS, the Stewarts Creek High School Band has proudly served as an
ambassador for Rutherford County and the State of Tennessee through notable performances
at events such as the Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of Pearl Harbor, the dedication of the Captain
Jeff Kuss USMC Memorial, and a national television appearance on WGN-America for the
Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade; and
WHEREAS, further adding to its impressive résumé, the Stewarts Creek High School
Band notably appeared in the 2025 Amazon Studios movie Holland; and
WHEREAS, the continued success of the Stewarts Creek High School Band has been
expertly guided by Directors Debbie Burton and Michael Chester, Director of Percussion Alexis
Yatuzis-Derryberry, Color Guard Director Allison Mader, and Stewarts Creek Middle School
Band Directors Elijah Gilmore and Brittany Jerrell, with invaluable support from Principal Dr.
Clark Harrell; and
WHEREAS, high-quality music and arts education programs significantly contribute to
developing well-rounded students, fostering social-emotional growth, inclusivity, and cultural
awareness, and enhancing educational outcomes, aligning with both the Every Student
Succeeds Act and Tennessee State law; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED
FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE
CONCURRING, that we recognize the Stewarts Creek High School Band for proudly
representing the State of Tennessee as one of only two high school bands nationwide selected
to perform in Washington, D.C., at the Sixtieth Presidential Inaugural Parade of Donald J.
Trump and J.D. Vance on January 20, 2025.
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we commend the directors, students, and supporters
of the Stewarts Creek High School Band, applaud their outstanding accomplishments and
dedication to musical excellence and community service, and extend to them our best wishes
for their continued success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared
for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear
without House or Senate designation.