Gracie Childers, Stratford senior and the Spirit of Stratford Marching Band drum major, has always lived in Macon.

She recalled her earliest memory of Stratford as meeting senior and fellow band member Safi Rahman on her first day of school.

She joined band her sixth-grade year because her entire family had been in band. She wanted to continue the tradition of being a “band family”, even though she wanted to also make the experience one of her own.

She became drum major when past drum major Holly Bean recommended her to Ms. Laura Voss. Although she wasn’t automatically chosen, she had the opportunity to be co-drum major for two years and then lead drum major for two as well.

The only nerve-wracking moment for her as the drum major is doing her salute before every game. After that, she said, it is no longer about just her, it is about the band overall.

Her favorite band memory is the feeling of being awarded a sweepstakes, though her favorite overall memory at Stratford was being selected to play “Carrie” in the One Act competition last fall.

Overall, she doesn’t regret anything about her high school experience but she does suggest that every student participate in everything they can.

She encouraged every student to get out of their comfort zone.