When Southwest Airlines canceled a flight to San Diego this week, one of a cluster of cancelations that the airline blamed on technical difficulties related to the weather, the Hoke County High School band missed out on a performance that was months in the making.
Solymar Castellon, a piccolo player, was one of 25 band members hoping to make the trip to California for the 2022 National Education Conference.
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"It was a major disappointment because me and the band just put so much work into this," she said. "It was really disappointing to go into the airport just to find out that the flight was canceled."
The band director said that he sent a video of the band's performance that was played at the convention.
"It feels like they were robbed of an experience of a lifetime," said Devon Pickett, high school band director. "85% of those students had never flown before."
The father of Isaiah Joe, a 17-year-old band member, sent an encouraging message to his son to help lift his spirits.
“Life is beautiful and continues to blossom for you and your friends and classmates. It also will be challenging, disappointing and happy, but you have a great foundation to succeed. So it will happen.”
Students at Hoke County High School are not only learning how to play good music, they're learning how to cope with whatever life throws at them.