Washington School Band members participate in Lions All-State

Pictured with Leland Lions member Mark King (left) are Mississippi Lions All-State Band members (l to r) Logan Lewis, Spencer Carlisle and William Schuerer, who were sponsored by the Leland Lions Club.

By Keri Baldwin

At a recent meeting of the Lions Club, three students from the Washington School band performed. Spencer Carlisle played the bassoon, Logan Lewis was on the tuba and William Schuerer was on the saxophone. Washington School band instructor Dawn Carlisle accompanied the students and watched during their musical renderings.

The students were selected this past summer to be sponsored by the club, with the sponsorship allowing them to perform as part of the Mississippi Lions All-State Band. During their tenure with the band, they travelled to Melbourne, Australia, to perform at the 106th Lions Club International Convention.

“It was a life-changing and amazing experience,” Spencer Carlisle said. While in Australia, they marched in the annual Parade of Nations, where they won the parade match. Mississippi has a long-standing history of winning the parade match. The students jokingly claimed they now knew what it was like to be international champions.

“This was my third year getting to play with one hundred fifty of the best in the United States, and it was amazing,” said Lewis.