Tessa Sadlowski; Junior, performing in Sunlake’s Soaring Sound. Tessa has been a part of the band since her Freshman year. As the leader of the reed section, Tessa wants her section “to be friendly with one another and have fun while playing music and marching,” showcasing her dedication. (Courtesy of Tessa Sadlowski)
Tessa Sadlowski; Junior, wearing her concert black for this year’s band showcases and events. Concert black is a staple in any band, so Tessa makes sure to bring her best to Sunlake’s Jazz and Wind Ensembles. (Courtesy of Tessa Sadlowski)
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Junior Mara Crockett stops to take a photo while on a walk in the beautiful city of Paris.
Sophomore Akira Charleston posing inside of the Heidelberg Castle located in Heidelberg Germany over the summer.

Sports

Tessa Takes On Band Camp

Ryan Carbonneau, Editor-in-Chief

August 21, 2025

Tessa Sadlowski; Junior, wearing her concert black for this year’s band showcases and events. Concert black is a staple in any band, so Tessa makes sure to bring her best to Sunlake’s Jazz and Wind Ensembles. (Courtesy of Tessa Sadlowski)

For a lot of people, summer is a time to relax and hang out with friends and family. They take the three months between school years to spend time together, making lasting memories that carry into the school year. This couldn’t be more true for Junior Tessa Sadlowski.

Tessa is a member of the award-winning Soaring Sound, our school’s marching band. In order to prepare for this years marching season, Tessa and the other members of the band go through two intense weeks of training at the end of the summer. “We start our day off with visual rehearsal and practice marching techniques,” Tessa explains as band camp is “divided up into a morning, afternoon, and night block.”. Every block is used down to the final second, whether the members “head into the music block,” where they “rehearse stand tunes or show music in sub-sectionals,” or “rehearse as an ensemble,” crafting a perfectly unified performance. Aside from being focused on music and dance, the members of the Sunlake marching band also make memories and work on skills they’ll never forget.

Tessa Sadlowski; Junior, performing in Sunlake’s Soaring Sound in their show, The Giving Tree. Tessa has been a part of the band since her Freshman year. As the leader of the reed section, Tessa wants her section “to be friendly with one another and have fun while playing music and marching,” showcasing her dedication. (Courtesy of Tessa Sadlowski)

“The highlight of band camp in my opinion was being with my friends and making new ones and also working hard to have a successful season in the fall,” Tessa recounts as she looks forward to this year’s marching season. As the Soaring sound competes in the 3A division in the FFCC’s outdoor marching circuit and at the Tarpon Springs Outdoor Music Festival, or against schools from all over the nation in the incredibly rigid Bands of America competition in Orlando, they need to be at the absolute top of their game. As the winds section leader, Tessa always “tries to emphasize being productive while having fun,” in order to have her section playing and marching the best they can.

Tessa and the rest of the Soaring Sound are in for one intense season, which also means intense practice. Whether it’s the preparations made at band camp or having “practices usually on Mondays and Wednesdays but some on Fridays and Saturdays planned,” every second of practice counts. We can’t wait to see how far these kids soar this season, rising up to compete against some of the best schools in the state.

About the Contributor

Ryan Carbonneau, Staffer

Hey, my name’s Ryan Carbonneau and I work as a photographer and writer for The Perch and Sunlake’s Yearbook production. I love music, writing, and (despite not being good at it) art. I’m really glad to be a part of a production that combines some of these things. I’m hoping to capture as much of the meaningful moments of the school year I can so when we look back, it’s the good stuff we want to have physical reminders of. I’m excited to continue in the yearbook and newspaper here at Sunlake until senior year. I plan to go to UCF for college and major either in photography or statistics.