Costumed Johnston High band rolls a full set of creepy strikes

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Johnston High School’s national award-winning Music Department took on an entirely new look last Friday night at 1463 Atwood Ave.

Members of the noted Marching Panther Band weren’t dressed in spiffy Columbia Blue and White uniforms, nor were students wearing traditional black tie-formal concert attire.

Instead, the talented student musicians and vocalists — as well as adult leaders of the highly-active Johnston School Music Association — arrived at famed Town Hall Lanes in creative costumes for a night of Creepy Cosmic Bowling.

“This has been a tradition for over a decade,” offered Ronald Lamoureux, who chairs the JHS Music Department. “We recognize that teaching kids to sing and play is only a portion of our job. We strive to help them learn how to live — to be comfortable expressing themselves and to recognize the importance of supporting others.”

There was expression unlimited during the Creepy Cosmic Bowling, as students came decked out in impressive and imaginative garb while JSMA President Bethany Littlefield was dressed as Oscar the Grouch and Treasurer Dave Banno wore a red lobster outfit.

While the students set up groups with their friends and dressed in different themes, many JHS Music Department alumni took that same route and were part of the unique 70-plus Creepy Cosmic bowlers.

There was even a friendly costume contest that at night’s end had four winners, but as Lamoureux and Chorus Director Matt Gingras emphasized: “We had pizza from This Guy’s Pizza and the kids loved it. Also, the THL (Town Hall Lanes) family has always treated us well and many thanks to owner Patrick Russell for providing excellent food.”

Littlefield, who also volunteers as co-president of the Sarah Dyer Barnes School PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization), offered: “There was endless energy and classic creativity here tonight; we are proud of each and every student and again want to thank the many alumni who make this an annual event as well.”

Thus, Lamoureux announced winners of the respective costume competition beginning with the First Place Sheet Ghosts group that included Mackenzie Hanna, Isabella Ribezzo, Amelia Akkoaoui, Allyssa Pascal and Shannon Hartley.

Second Place went to The Explorers who were Ben Annicelli Jeffry Cabrera, Cameron Tum Christopher LaPlante, Victor Fragoso, Kayla Gruttadauria, while Honorable Mention for The 70’s Lane went to Jonas Littlefield, Neko Mahoney, Autumn, McIntyre, Caroline Pezzanecker, Robert Graham, Elliot Cortese and Zachary Hanna.

First Place in the Alumni Group went to Tetris Pieces made up of Joe Johnson, Layla Jennings, Oliver Littlefield and Melanie Vassella.

Creepy Cosmic Bowling was the second such special success story for the JHS Music Department and JSMA in recent weeks.

In keeping with the philosophies of Lamoureux and Gingras, students and members of the parent support-booster club like group, hosted an Open House-Back to Normal Cookout during which the leaders created more building of “Esprit de Corps” for each and every aspect of the music department.

“Matt (Gingras) came up with the idea for that we think is going to be something we are going to add to our annual calendar,” Lamoureux noted. “We set up tables, lawn games and speakers outside the school and were happy to see some sunshine during a night when parent volunteers cooked and served hot dogs and hamburgers for the 80 or so people who enjoyed a night of JHS Music family fun!”

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