The semiannual Lunch Jam was held on May 19, where school bands to performed on the patio. The bands were comprised of both students and teachers.

The cafeteria is usually packed with students eating lunch and socializing, but when the Lunch Jam started, many students migrated to the patio and listened to the music that the student bands were playing.

All guitar classes, from I-IV, are able to participate in the Lunch Jam. Dr. Rankin, the Guitar and Music Technology teacher has been in charge of preparing and implementing

the Lunch Jams. Lunch Jams happen twice a year, the first near Halloween and the second at the end of the school year.

Dr. Rankin’s goal for the students participating in the Lunch Jam is to get them more proficient in essential life skills such as teamwork. He also feels it boosts self-confidence and self-esteem. He sees the Lunch Jam as an opportunity to get more involved in the community and getting kids more interested in music.

Additionally, performers also gain social skills. Andrew Domenick-Urbansky, sophomore and the guitarist for Millennium 4 is one of those performers.

“[In this class], I’m gaining friends and a musical experience, also not being afraid of going on stage,” said Domenick-Urbansky. “This class is my family. These guys are my friends, we get along well.”

There are also new guitarists who performed in the Lunch Jam too, like sophomore Sean Broughton who is the vocalist and one of the guitarists for Off Beat.

“This is my first year in guitar. I started to like guitar when I would watch others play. I thought it would be more fun to play instead of watch, so that’s when I decided to join guitar,” said Broughton.

The main reason there is a Lunch Jam is so that the students in all lunches will be able to listen to what their peers have been working on throughout the school year.

Students also have suggestions that can help with future Lunch Jams. Sophomore Jordan Randolph has an idea that will improve the quality of the Lunch Jams to come. “[We] need better microphones since we can barely hear the vocals over the other instruments.”

Many kids enjoyed the Lunch Jam, including junior Alec Biamou because, “It provides entertainment that normal lunches don’t have. It becomes exciting when bands play and students dance and sing along to the songs.”

For Jasmine Johnson, a senior who was the vocalist for One and Two and one of the few girls in guitar, she shares her experiences with the band. “[I’ve made] friends for life, musical experience, music fundamentals, and memories,” said Johnson.