The loud commotion of cheers filled the room as the judge shared the placings of the new Winter Guard International (WGI) champions. On April 19, in Dayton, Ohio, the Ayala High School’s Visual Ensemble and Percussion was announced as the 2026 WGI Champions. This win has touched the hearts of many considering how much work and dedication this group of students and staff has put into making this dream come true. Throughout the whole year students have spent countless hours working extremely hard in order to bring this vision to light.
Throughout the whole journey, students have had people with them to help them along the way. In the whole season there were a variety of injuries and events that have required them to have support to help them through the times. Especially when they left for Dayton many were unsure on how the outcome of the trip would be. However with the support of others their dream became accomplishable at the WGI competition.
“The win felt like an accumulation of all our hard work over months,” Shivani Medavarapu (10) said. “We didn’t go to Dayton feeling like we were going to win, so we know just how much we, our parents, and staff did to get us that extra step. The reason we made it so far, even with all the setbacks from injuries, is because of them and their help.”
With it being such a long journey in order to be champions there were a number of things that they earned along the way. One of these were the friends and memories they made along the journey. By having these things along the way it made the journey much more enjoyable. Additionally it gives them lifelong memories and partners that they can reminisce with to remember this amazing moment.
“One crucial factor that helped me reach this point was the friendships and memories I built along the way,” Ivy Luan (10) said. “The bond we created as an ensemble made practices more meaningful and pushed me to work even harder and our shared experiences of long rehearsals and moments of laughter created a supportive environment that ultimately led to our success.”
When the moment of the win finally came, students were filled with joy and shock had filled their bodies. Throughout the whole competition many were filled with doubt on whether or not they would win. Additionally, hearing the news of this win instantly brought joy throughout the school. After students have enjoyed their time in Dayton the joy they gained from the competition came back as well.
“Hearing the announcer say the name of a school that is not us as the silver medalists sent a wave of relief, joy, and pride through me” Elle Graffious (10) said. “I feel that if we had gone undefeated all season, the win would not have felt as meaningful and due to the fact we had to fight our way to the top this season, it made the gold that much more rewarding.”
Now that tier season comes to an end it only leaves the question of what next year will hold. After having such an amazing season filled with bumps throughout the whole journey there were people that surrounded them. Especially with the friends and memories they gained along the way the Ayala High School Visual Ensemble and Percussion have been able to become WGI Champs.
