Tony Nunez

Visual ensemble member Candice Tseng (10) did not let her injury stop her from going to the SCPA Championships in Dayton. Her teammates were surprised by how she still decided on going on. “When she first got injured, we were all really scared. And then when she decided to still perform for Dayton, we were all just super surprised how she was able to recover so quickly,” Visual Ensemble member Isabella Kourosmehr (10) said.

It’s the final senior send-off show for members of the band, the lights are bright and the cheers are loud, but little did everyone know, Visual Ensemble member Candice Tseng (10) would get injured, risking the chance for her to go on to the SCPA Championships. 

Ever since she started band in 8th grade, Tseng has always been a hard worker, performing her best through any tough situation. In 8th grade, when she started drumline, she decided right then and there that she wanted to do drumline in freshman year. Going into her high school career, she was in marching band, where she eventually worked up to being in the Visual Ensemble. After this, she decided to go to the cymbal line before once again returning to the Visual Ensemble. This already showed how hardworking she is in her work. 

At the recent senior send off show, Tseng was supposed to fall off of a prop and another Visual Ensemble member would catch her. Unfortunately, Tseng fell too early, injuring her lumbar region, risking her opportunity to go to the SCPA Championships in Dayton. She did not let this stop her though, as she powered through and decided to play at the championships anyways, displaying her determination and perseverance. 

“We practice and perform to go to the final in Dayton, it’s WGI [Winter Guard International], you know, so we are built to get to that place and to perform at the highest level,” Tseng said. “I thought that it would be a waste that I came so far to not perform.” 

This was not only noticed by her teammates, but also the band director, Mr. Timothy Trost. He recognized this perseverance and realized that not a lot of other people could have done the same thing as her. 

“That takes a lot, especially when people get injured. Sometimes they just kind of give up, but she doesn’t. She’s a fighter,” Trost said. “She’s been injured before and she just fights right through it so it’s really good. A lot of students can’t do that.” 

Along with her strong work ethic, Tseng is also very well liked among her peers for being such a kind, caring, and outgoing person. 

“I would describe her as just a super kind person,” Visual Ensemble member Isabella Kourousmehr (10) said. “She’s always positive and she’s never really complained about a lot of things.”

Through Tseng’s perseverance and caring personality, she is very well liked among her peers. There is no doubt that she is a great role model for everyone that she interacts with. 

“When she got injured, she just kept going. She didn’t want to give up and that’s a good lesson to learn. [She’s] a good role model for other students [to] just don’t give up [and to] just keep pushing until the very end,” Trost said.