This year the JBHS Outdoor Performing Ensemble and Silver Stars are starting an activity where they both exchange gifts and get to know each other better, so they can become closer.

With football season starting, this year, the Silver Stars and the band are doing a buddies program to help them become closer as teams. This is an activity where band members get assigned a Silver Star and they both exchange gifts once a week.

“We started band and Silver Star Buddies as a way for the students to bond with each other and build connections between the two organizations that work so closely together during the fall semester,” Silver Star director Leanne Bilnoski said. “It is so fun to watch the Silver Stars and band members exchange notes and gifts, which has made game days even more exciting. We love the comradery that is being built between the two programs.”

The band and the Silver Stars both perform often, together and separate. The moment when they step on the field is the moment that all of their hard work gets paid off, according to senior band member Jackson Bloder.

“Performing gives just so much adrenaline,” Bloder said. “You do all of the things that you’ve ingrained into your mind over the course of three months and are able to go out and give your best.”

Junior Silver Star Cressida Rodriguez always cheers on her band buddy. Whether the teams are performing on a stage, a field, or just practicing, she believes that they all have each other’s backs.

“Silver Stars is a pure example of a hardworking family, they have given me the opportunity to meet sisters I will have for life,” Rodriguez said. “My buddy is in color guard and they are a smaller group, but since I know my new buddy and a few other girls, I have so much fun with them.”

The band and the Silver Stars are closely integrated teams due to the fact that they both rely on each other to perform at during football games. Both teams have their differences but, their similarities are the things that bring the teams together because of their understanding of each other.

“Band and Silver Stars are close homies,” Bloder said. “We both have a lot of respect for each other because of how much work both groups put into their activity.”

The buddies program was created as a way of creating an even closer bond. While working with their buddies, the teammates get to gain a better understanding of how the teams work and a better connection with their buddy.

“I enjoy getting to know more about the band in general and getting to know more about individual band members,” senior Keira Folkers said. “Silver Stars also love getting to watch our band buddies perform and getting to cheer for them from the end zone at football games.”

Having gone through so much, such as similar practice hours and difficult training, the two teams have a special appreciation for each other when it comes to performing, both on and off the field.

“I enjoy the connection between band and Silver Stars because we are there for each other and hype each other up,” Rodriguez said, “When I need to motivate myself during practice I look to band and they hype us up.”

Buddies not only bring the students closer during practice, but also gives them a familiar face outside of the performing environment.

“The reason for buddies is so that the two fine arts groups can become closer and create a bigger community within Bowie,” Folkers said. “It also allows for Silver Stars and band members to get to know each other better individually and create more connections between the groups.”

Folkers believes that making sure they are close is one of the most important aspects of their connection. Because of the fact that they perform together, they must have a close bond.

“Something special about band buddies is that this is only our second year doing them and it has already created more of a bond between the two groups, especially since these two groups work together all the time during football season,” Folkers said.

Buddies not only give the teams a chance to get to know each other better, but also work to commend each other for all of their hard work.

“I enjoy that we’re able to compliment what they’ve worked so hard on, with the thing that we love,” Bloder said “It’s also really impressive to be a group producing so much sound and have the best dang high school drill team in Texas be our main event.”

While being part of one of these organizations, members like Bloder believe they gain skills and habits that they will carry on in the future.

“Band has given me a sense of comradery, and I think most importantly an understanding of responsibility that I think will be so critical to the rest of my life,” Bloder said.