No Joke: Boys Are Part of Color Guard for First Time at Bolingbrook Middle School

Valley View School District 365U submitted this story:

Spectators at the Bolingbrook Pathways parade weren’t imagining things earlier this month when the Humphrey Middle School Band marched by. Those were indeed boys who were a part of the Humphrey “Color Guard” leading the band.

“We’ve gone coed for the first time,” said parent Bonnie Bovaird, who along with parent and VVSD teacher Nicki Fagust, volunteers her time to work with the guard.

“It’s unique at the middle and high school levels,” Fagust said. “There are a lot of professional guards that are all men and they’re absolutely fabulous. But typically in middle school and high school, you don’t see guys participating in guard.”

It all started when marching band members got together for the first time this year. Fagust asked for volunteers to serve in the guard and several girls raised their hands.

“Then some of the boys started joking around and saying ‘I’ll do it,’ ” she recalled. “I told them you know what? If you can do the job, I’ll take you.”

Fagust, who says she handles the technical aspects of guard choreography while Bovaird handles the creativity aspects, admits they’ve changed things a bit by making routines stronger and more coed oriented.

“They’re really a talented group,” added Fagust. “They are great.”

The six members of the color guard are Joe Bovaird, Damien Gonzalez, Zach Skudlarek, Abby Coronado, Cristina La, and Dylan Porto.