FERRIDAY &8212; Ferriday High School marching band students and their director agree that Ferriday does not offer much in the way of recreational activities.

Being involved with the band not only gives them a way to pass the time, but it gives them other opportunities as well.

Clarinet player Veronica McCray said she believes the band teaches discipline in a town where a lot fighting occurs often. If a band student gets involved in a fight, whether it occurs at school or not, they will be punished and possibly dismissed from the band.

Snare drum player Melvin Cooke and trumpet player Lucas Washington said they agree that band helps keep students busy so they don&8217;t have time to get into trouble.

&8220;After band practice you&8217;re so tired all you want to do is go home, do your homework and go to bed,&8221; said Jamarius Hunt, who plays the french horn.

Practice begins after school at 4 p.m. and usually raps up around 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, unless there is a game on Friday.

Trumpet player Jasmyne Leonard said being in band keeps her out of trouble and her grades up. Students are required to keep a C average to stay in band and are punished for receiving an F. Band director Kendall Damond said the students are kicked out of the program after receiving two Fs.

Cooke, Washington, Hunt, McCray and Leonard all said drugs were not a problem among band students. Hunt said there was too much movement and thinking involved in band for someone on drugs to keep up.

They all said they would do whatever they could to stop someone in the band from taking drugs. Damond said if a student were caught with drugs they would be immediately removed from band.

&8220;The community looks at us like role models,&8221; McCray said. &8220;We have to set a good example.

Being in band may keep the students out of trouble but there are other reasons students join. Washington can remember watching the band when he was little and knew then it was what he wanted to do. McCray said band offers the opportunity to receive scholarships and to continue education beyond high school. Two of the seniors out of the class of 2006 received scholarships from Grambling to play in the band. McCray also likes to travel.

The band travels to locations such as Shreveport, Hazlehurst, Lafayette, Monroe and Somerset for parades and competitions. They attend band camp at Grambling University.

&8220;You get to go places you&8217;ve never been with the band,&8221; McCray said.

Damond said band incorporates math, language skills and motor skills. He also feels it helps his students deal with different people and hope that when they go out into the world they can cope with different jobs.

During practice Monday McCray shouted, &8220;It&8217;s not what you do. It&8217;s …&8221;

To which the band immediately replied, &8220;How you do it.&8221;

Damond is proud of the Ferriday High School marching band and said it is one of a kind because very few high school bands can dance and play.

&8220;We are the best band in the country. No one can out step or out play us,&8221; McCray said.

Ferriday will be hosting a battle of the bands competition beginning on Oct. 7.