By Wendy Burton
Phoenix Staff Writer
—
Trumpet player Amanda Vaughan nervously asked for her mother as she prepared for her coronation as band queen Thursday afternoon.
The senior Muskogee High School band member waited, trembling, in the dressing room for Mom to arrive as a friend curled her hair and others bounced around laughing and dancing.
“It’s a huge deal because, ever since I got in band, I was always like, ‘Oh my goodness, band queen. That would be the coolest thing in the world,’” Amanda said. “I’ve always wanted this.”
The heat in the dressing area was palpable, but the fun was too.
“At the time, I was anxious and excited. It hadn’t really hit me till then,” Amanda said. “Then we were all just dancing around and acting crazy. We were really hot and excited when we were getting ready — and then it changed.”
As the party of five girls and their escorts lined up to enter the high school gym, each checked their hair, one another’s makeup and smoothed their gowns.
When the band began to play, Amanda took a deep breath and stepped under the archway to thunderous applause when the announcer said her name.
“When I was walking down the path with Nick and when I saw my friends and family, I got happy and excited,” she said. “Then, I just focused on what I was doing and got all nervous again.”
Her mother, Angela Vaughan, said she was proud and happy for her daughter.
“I’m just kind of cried out. I cried through the whole pep assembly it seems like,” Angela Vaughan said. “She’s worked hard and she deserves it.”
One of Amanda’s closest friends was proud to be her sophomore attendant.
Baylee Williams, 15, has known her for five years.
“I was excited when I found out Amanda was queen,” Baylee said. “I was super excited, because I’m attendant for one of my closest friends. She’s like a sister to me.”
To become band queen, Baylee said, members must work hard and show they have the stuff to be queen.
“Amanda is devoted to band. Band is life to her,” Williams said. “She’s just a great person. Everyone likes her. I think a lot of people were happy when they found out she is band queen.”
Reach Wendy Burton at 684-2926 or wburton@muskogeephoenix.com.
2010-2011 MHS band queen and court
Band Queen Amanda Vaughan and escort, Nicholas Brown (both are seniors)
Senior Attendant Alisha Pease and escort, Duan Morris
Junior Attendant Lindsay Sholes and escort, Kyrie Combs
Sophomore Attendant Baylee Williams and escort, Jacob Wilbourn
Freshman Attendant Morgan Givens and escort, Julian Vann
