WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Some of us have special talents and sometimes those talents can help you win a special title.
That's true for Houston County students who are celebrating a big achievement.
Across Houston County, 11 students made the All-State band, including Emma Davis who says she is still in shock she won.
"I had to have been at least two or three when I played my dad's trumpet, and I've always seen my parents play and heard my parents play," Davis said.
Now in eighth grade, Davis says her family always keeps her on the right note even at the age of two.
"Well at that age, I was like, that's cool, and then I went to go watch TV," Davis said.
She says as she got older, music became a part of her everyday routine. She tried out the clarinet and trumpet.
"Then around 5th grade, I started playing trombone," she said.
Once she started, Davis worked on perfecting her craft making sure to hit the right note to one day achieve a special honor.
"They take a group from all around the state and you have to audition for honor band, and if you make the second cut, you get to try out again for all state band," Davis said.
Davis and 10 students across Houston County achieved the coveted All-State band Honor.
It's a title Feagin Mill band director Lloyd McDonald says requires a lot of hard work.
"The judges are listening for their musical developments, their tone quality, note accuracy, and dynamics," McDonald said.
Davis says with all the pressure from the judges, she still can't believe she will performing in Athens in late February.
"My dad was more excited than I was. I kinda just sat on the floor speechless," Davis said.
She says she's happy she achieved ninth chair, but this is a trend she wants to continue.
"Keep on making all-state, because I know some people make all state and I know they never make it again," Davis said.
The other Houston County students headed to Athens are:
- Stephanie Choi of Feagin Mill Middle School
- Gina Cutlip of Bonaire Middle
- Owen Pope of Perry Middle
- Alyssa Hampton and Ben Said of Houston County High
- Ian Cornelius, Phoebe Guidry, and Maximus Genio of Perry High School
- Hailey Tayag, Obe, and Abby Kiefer of Veterans High School