Electrify Your Strings Returns to Ferndale

This past weekend, the Symphony Band played at MSBOA Band and Orchestra Festival and got straight 1 (superior) ratings from all 3 judges in performance, and a 2 (excellent) rating in sight-reading. That means a strong 1 rating overall.

Ferndale Director of Bands Elon Jamison reported, "The auditorium chairperson was blown away...Lots of directors have said things about the consequences of COVID about their performances today, but he said that it didn't sound like Covid had impacted us at all." Mr. Jamison praised the students for their hardwork since September that earned this high score. "I am SO proud of them. They've shown up every day and gotten better. I would say they've probably exhibited at least a year and a half of growth, in only 6+ months."

In addition, Wind Ensemble performed today (March 17th) at the Great Lakes Concert Band Festival at Easter Michigan University. This event is a non-rated, non-competitive festival affiliated with Bands of America, the national concert and marching band organization. It featured twelve high school bands from around the state (as far as as Manistee and Traverse City), as well as a performance by the EMU Wind Symphony.

Wind Ensemble performed a challenging 25-minute program, and did a phenomenal job. Performing groups were assigned a clinician after each performance, and Ferndale was fortunate to work with Dr. Stephen G. Peterson—recently retired Director of Bands at University of Illinois. While he gave them plenty to work on, he also had high praise for their musicianship and achievement. "When he was told that Ferndale HS has a student enrollment of less than 700, he was floored with what they played and how they played it! He assumed we were a large suburban school of 1500 students or more," Mr. Jamison said.

We are all so proud of our Golden Eagles and cannot wait to hear their beautiful sounds once again. The next performance of Symphony Band and Wind Ensemble will be on Wednesday, May 3, at 7:30 pm in the FHS Auditorium.

FHS student artists have several pieces of visual art on display at the Affirmations gallery space: 290 W Nine Mile Rd in downtown Ferndale. The opening gala was last Friday, March 3rd. FHS student Zoe Perrone exhibit multiple art pieces along with musical performances from her 2-piece band, Bear Paper Blanket. Other Ferndale student artworks include:

• Freed and Pulling Out by Layla Rogers
• Piece of Me by Alyssa McCrary
• Spectacle and Thea by Zoe Perrone

Affirmations is an LGBTQ+ Community Center founded in 1989 to provide a welcoming space where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities & expressions, and cultures can find support and unconditional acceptance, and where they can learn, grow, socialize and feel safe.

The Winterguard season is in full swing, and our award winning team is at the front of the pack. Your Golden Eagles took home second place at the Lakeland competition in February. Photos provided by Bateman Photography.

You can learn more about our Champion Dance Teams on our website.

The Golden Eagle Boys Varsity Swim Team had a great showing at the OAA Blue League Finals in Clarkston. Nick Foreman qualified for State competition and all-league in the 100 M Breastroke. Congrats, Nick and all of our Diving Eagles!

Click the full story for full result statistics.

Over the 25th-27th weekend of February, the Ferndale High School United Student Assembly sent 6 representatives and an advisor to the MASC/MAHS state conference for student leadership. In attendance were leaders from over 300 Michigan schools! This exciting event fostered an environment in which our student leaders were exposed to new and exciting ideas to bring back to Ferndale, as well as learn more on what it is to be a leader. Our Eagles attended student showcases, listened to powerful motivational speakers, and engaged in structured activities with student leaders from all across Michigan.

While this event was packed with activities to fuel the minds of our young leaders, this state wide event wasn’t all business. The fun-tastic “Rock the Love'' theme made the experience unique, fun and enjoyable. This included the neon themed student celebration where students danced the night away, socializing and networking all the while. The state conference left our Eagles ready to improve our school, take on more responsibility, and leave the experience with new friendships from other schools, as well as a strong bond with each other. To quote one Ferndale attendee, Devon Sears, “I will never be the same after attending this conference. Not only has my leadership improved, and my idea’s broadened, but the deep connection I was able to foster between my previously unknown classmates made this experience more than worth it.”