The Mount Vernon community loves to watch football on Friday nights in the fall. Another highlight on those nights is the Marching Mustangs that play at the games. They are an award winning marching band that puts on a great show for the community. Everyone looks forward to the Marching Mustangs taking the field at halftime under the bright lights with the crowd cheering.

Josey Kosman, a junior at Mount Vernon High School, has been a part of the marching band every year of her high school career. She is currently a section leader and leads the flutes while giving them feedback about the music and marching routines. She also provides them updates and help when needed. Kosman and many others in the band are excited to play on Friday nights as well as in competitions.  

The Marching Mustangs have worked very hard to be prepared for their performances. Kosman says they spend a lot of time practicing, memorizing the music, and running through the routine. She has a lot of great memories of her time with the band. Kosman recalled her freshman year having an early competition on the day of the Homecoming dance. They won the competition that day so it was definitely worth it. The band was unable to stay for the awards that day so Mr. Weber brought the trophy to the dance. It was a fun and memorable experience for everyone. 

Being a part of the marching band is a great experience for students. “The marching band is full of good people who are open and accepting. It’s like a family” Kosman said. She talks very highly of the members of the Marching Mustangs. “Mr. Weber is very dedicated to his job” Kosman said. He makes the band a safe place for everyone which teaches the band members how to treat each other. Kosman said that Sabrina Bleile was the section leader before her and she learned a lot from her.

Kosman is involved in a lot of other activities at Mount Vernon High School. She participates in band, choir, and tennis. In her free time, she likes to cook and play video games. Kosman also works at Hy-Vee as a cashier. She is busy but still has time to focus on marching band and encourages others to “stick with it because it makes high school a lot more fun.” 

The Marching Mustangs recently competed at their first competition of the season and won several awards including Overall First Place. They will play at the First Street field at halftime during the Davenport Assumption football game on October 1st. The Mount Vernon community looks forward to all the great performances by the Marching Mustangs this season.