At the end of their 2018 season, Winter Guard moved up a division from Scholastic AA to Scholastic A, the highest division for a high school team.

The divisions in Winter Guard are based upon skill level, and the MHS Winter Guard was moved mid-season to Scholastic A after placing first in all of their Scholastic AA competitions. This year will be the first season in 10 years that the guard has competed at the Scholastic A level.

Melissa Wilson, Winter Guard coach, is designing this year’s show to match the level required for Scholastic A.

“I think we are in a different place,” Wilson said. “This is the division we were in at the end of the year last season, but this year we are designing the show to be successful in this division; whereas, last year we were designing the show to be successful in the lower division.”

The show, which is currently untitled, is inspired by pop-art, the type of art used in classic comics. Wilson said the show will feature pop music from the 80s through the present and imagery based off of Roy Lichtenstein, the artist known for defining pop-art, including lots of polka dots and bright colors.

Wilson said her hopes for this year include having a show that the audience enjoys, as well as having a unified, confident team.

“I think the kids felt really good about the show last year. They felt really confident that they could go out and perform it well, and I hope they have the same level of confidence and aren’t scared by the new division,” Wilson said.

Paige Barnhart, junior, said the show is harder technique-wise because they are doing it to a Scholastic A standard.

“I think we’re going to do okay,” Barnhart said. “It’s going to be interesting to see because this is our first season going all-out for Scholastic A, so it’s hard to tell where we are going to be placed, but I hope we can stand our ground.”

Barnhart said the guards strongest attribute is their teamwork and dedication. She said the guard is like a family, and their strong bond will play a part in their success.

“Teamwork makes us stronger. The more we can work together and trust each other, I feel the better our show is going to be,” Barnhart said.

Senior Elise Miller, captain, also said teamwork is important and hopes that being in a higher division will allow them to grow as a team.

Miller said the show is being written to be harder; however, the season will be better overall.

“It’s going to be more work for us, but we are going to succeed more and step up to the plate more this season,” Miller said.

Miller said the reaction to being moved to Scholastic A was bittersweet as the guard members were both excited and scared by the move.

“I just hope we can accept the challenge of being in a higher division, and that everybody is ready to work hard and to work as a team,” Miller said.

The Winter Guard Friends and Family performance is 4 p.m. Jan. 19 in the Gym.