With the new school year of 2021-22, came an abundance of new teachers from the grade schools through the high school at Alliance. This brings much hope for this year and the years to follow. One of these new teachers is Mrs. Laura Mangas. Mangas is the new AHS band teacher, and many students are grateful to have her here. 

Mangas has been a teacher for 17 years, 11 of those years being at the middle school. This year, she made the executive decision to move up to teach the high school band. Mangas says she wanted to become a band teacher because “I love the music and I want the music to be able to make kids happy like it makes me happy.” Last year Mangas said that she saw the band program struggling, so this year she stepped up because “I know I can help make the band great again.” So far she is loving teaching at the high school and greatly appreciates the increase in the levels of maturity and the desire to want to get better. 

With a new director and many new band members, this year comes some worries. When Mangas was asked what she was most nervous about, she replied “All of the firsts. The first football game, the first marching competition, the first basketball game, the first concert, all of the firsts.” Putting aside some of the nervous feelings allows room for more exciting parts of the band to shine through. Allowing a new band director to take over creates opportunities for many new things. Mangas is most excited to “be able to play some really awesome music that will awe the crowd but still challenge my musicians.”

Different from some of the previous years, you can expect great things from the band this year. There are new music pieces, new musicians and lots of new excitement. Mangas wanted to add that “you can expect high levels of energy and compassion from the band this year. We have many things to prove.” We are all grateful that Mrs. Mangas stepped up in order to help the program get back to where it was before. The SPUD wishes Mangas and the AHS band the best of luck this year!