Anoka is a city in and the county seat of Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 17,142 at the 2010 census. Anoka is the "Halloween Capital of the World" because it hosted one of the first Halloween parades in 1920. It continues to celebrate the holiday each year with several parades. Anoka is a northern suburb of the Twin Cities. U.S. Highways 10 / 169 and State Highway 47 are three of Anoka's main routes, and it has a station on the Northstar Commuter Rail line to Minneapolis.
Coon Rapids is a northern suburb of Minneapolis, and is the second-largest city by population in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 63,599 at the 2020 census, making it the fifteenth largest city in Minnesota and the seventh largest Twin Cities suburb.
Drum Corps Associates (DCA) was a governing body for modern all-age and senior drum and bugle corps in North America. Its responsibilities included sanctioning competitions, certifying adjudicators, maintaining and enforcing rules of competition, and hosting an annual World Championship during Labor Day weekend. Historically, DCA members were referred to as "senior corps" in contrast to the "junior corps", who limit participants to a maximum 22 years of age. As DCA had no age restriction, the term "all-age corps" has come into common use.
Drum Corps International (DCI) is a governing body for drum and bugle corps responsible for developing and enforcing rules of competition and for providing standardized adjudication at sanctioned drum and bugle corps competitions throughout the United States and Canada. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Winter Guard International (WGI) is an American governing body that sanctions championship events for three competitive performing arts activities: color guard, percussion ensembles, and indoor marching bands. WGI was founded in 1977 in response to inconsistent adjudication and rules of competition which made it difficult for color guards to compete nationally. Today, WGI publishes and maintains an adjudication handbook, with an accompanying "Rules & Regulations", that has been widely adopted.
Drum Corps Europe (DCE) is a governing body for all-age drum and bugle corps based in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands. DCE coordinates the European Music Games, including the annual European Championships, in cooperation with strategic partners from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Germany. DCE also hosts the Dutch Music Games which were previously hosted by the defunct Drum Corps Nederland (DCN). Also known as European Drum Corps Association (EDCA).
Bands of America (BOA) is a music education advocacy organization and promoter of high school marching band competitions in the United States, such as the annual Grand National Championships. Established in 1975 as Marching Bands of America (MBA), founder Larry McCormick's goal was to provide educational opportunities for music students nationwide. McCormick organized the first annual Summer Workshop and Festival in 1976. Renamed Bands of America in 1984, the organization became an independent, tax-exempt entity in 1988. In 2006, Bands of America merged with the Music for All Foundation, a music education advocacy organization, becoming the flagship program of the combined organization. Bands of America has received numerous awards from IFEA.
Senator Ruben S. Ayala Senior High School, often abbreviated as Ayala High School or AHS, is located in Chino Hills, California. It is one of the four comprehensive high schools in the Chino Valley Unified School District. The school was established in 1990 and named after California state senator Ruben S. Ayala. It received the 2011 California Distinguished School award and the 2015 California Gold Ribbon School Award.
Langley High School is a public high school within the Fairfax County Public Schools in McLean, Virginia, United States.
The Western Band Association (WBA) is a nonprofit organization that promotes high school music education in California, Arizona and Nevada. Specifically, the WBA organizes many marching band competitions for high school students. Its championships event is considered to be the second-largest single marching contest in the country.
The Northwest Association for Performing Arts (NWAPA) is a governing body and competitive circuit of high school marching bands, color guards, and percussion ensembles based in Portland, Oregon. The association was founded in 1997 as the Northwest Marching Band Circuit (NWMBC). A majority of the current member high schools are based in Oregon, with others from Washington, Idaho, and California. The first circuit marching band championship was hosted in 2000.
Andover High School is a four-year public high school at 2115 Andover Blvd, Andover, Minnesota, United States. It is a part of Anoka-Hennepin School District 11 and is one of five traditional high schools in the district. It is the district's newest high school, opening in 2002. The first class graduated from Andover High School in 2004; the first class to have attended all four years of high school there graduated in 2006. It has students from both Andover and Ham Lake. The school's student population is 1750; they are 1% Native American, 1% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 3% African American, and 93% Caucasian.
The Vikingland Band Festival parade marching championship is held annually in Alexandria, Minnesota on the last Sunday of June. The event was founded in 1985 and is widely regarded as the midwest's biggest and most prestigious summer marching band competition. It is often regarded as the unofficial state championship for parade marching in Minnesota.
Leigh High School is a secondary school located in the West San Jose region of San Jose, California, United States. Opening in September 1962, it was the fifth school established in the Campbell Union High School District. The school has twice been given the California Distinguished School award, in 1999 and 2003. As of 2020, the school's enrollment was 1809 students. The school colors are gold (yellow) and pine green, and its mascot is the Longhorn.
Irondale High School is a public high school in New Brighton, Minnesota, United States. Part of the Mounds View Public Schools district, the school is in a suburban area ten miles north of downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Irondale made headlines in late 2011 when it introduced its Early College program, which began in the 2012–13 school year. The program, run in conjunction with Anoka-Ramsey Community College, allows students to graduate in four years with both a high school diploma and an associate's degree. This program prompted a visit from US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who praised Minnesota's efforts to further education.
Dover-Eyota High School is a public high school located in Eyota, Minnesota. As of 2021, Dover-Eyota High School has approximately 600 students.
Sioux Falls Christian Schools (SFC) is a private school located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The school was founded in 1958 as an elementary school named Calvin Christian. Since its inception, SFC has expanded and currently offers programs from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade and is accredited by the state of South Dakota and Christian Schools International.
The Mid-America Competing Band Directors Association (MACBDA) was a governing body and summer high school marching band competition circuit based in the Upper Midwest.
Murray County Central (MCC) is a school district in southwestern Minnesota. Both the elementary school (West), and the high school (Central) are located in Slayton. The high school was known for much of its history as Slayton High School; this officially changed when the district consolidated in 1992, bringing in students from many of the surrounding communities, including Avoca, Chandler, Currie, Iona, and Lake Wilson. The high school currently houses grades seven through twelve as well as the kindergarten and first grade students. Those in grades two through six attend West Elementary.
Brandon Douglas Paulson is a former Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler and current wrestling coach. Paulson was born in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and is a 1992 graduate of Anoka High School. At Anoka High, Paulson was a three time state champion in his weight class and was named Mr. Minnesota Wrestling in his senior year after finishing with a career record of 155-12-1. Paulson was the first high school wrestler to earn a spot on the U.S. National Senior team when he qualified for the 1991–1992 team. In 1993 he was a Junior World Silver Medalist. Overall, he earned 16 national titles in Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling, and was a 1996 Olympic silver medalist in the 114.5 lbs weight class in Greco-Roman wrestling.
