Chris Rochester Jr.

I have had the honor and privilege of participating in the University of Delaware Drumline for the entirety of my education at University of Delaware thus far. I have had the opportunity to play in front of thousands of people, and make friends that will certainly last a lifetime. One of the most significant events of my recent life came from this Drumline, as we had the opportunity to play in Joe Biden's Inauguration! This is one of the most physically and mentally demanding things I have ever participated in, and I am loving every second. I look forward to continuing!

A group of students and I all participated Math League, which entailed semi-frequent practices as well as bi-weekly math competitions which took place at a neighboring high school. During these competitions, we were given complex math problems, and given 30 minutes to solve them. After we had submitted our individual sheets, we then came together as a team and worked to solve complex team problems. This activity helped to strengthen my teamwork especially.

During my time at Cape Henlopen High School, I made every effort to leave a lasting impact on the program. I began in the program as merely a member, but during my time as Drum Captain my senior year, I made my best efforts to make the percussion section something special. We volunteered with the Rehoboth Buddy Walk, leading the march along the boards to raise awareness for Down Syndrome. We also volunteered at the Lewes library playing for a festival to celebrate first responders, a churches Christmas celebration, and more. We practiced our craft and went on to preform a drum feature and multiple parades for the people of Lewes, Rehoboth, Milton, and beyond. During my stint as Drum Captain, I also created an Indoor Drumline program that would allow members to continue participation after the end of football season. Unfortunately, the final Indoor Drumline season was cut short, along with my senior year due to the start of Covid-19. My last idea and project as Drum Captain was to create a video compilation of all of us making music from our own home during quarantine, and releasing it for the whole band and school to see. I wanted to make music together one last time, and I made it happen by coming up with a novel idea, creating a detailed plan, and editing a video together with no prior editing experience. All things considered, I think it turned out great! This drumline taught me leadership and patience over the years, lessons I will carry throughout my schooling and careers. I look back fondly on my time with cape, and I am sure I always will.