Dec 15 UHS Bands / Guard Update

🎄Season's Greetings from the Union Bands faculty and staff! 

📢 Let's pack the UHS Gym TONIGHT Mon Dec 15 at 7:00pm for the Union Guard's Annual Holiday Showcase!  Come early to bid on silent auction items or purchase delectable holiday treats 😋

⚠️Tomorrow Tues Dec 16 is the deadline to register for Solo & Ensemble Festival coming up next semester.  Note: duets may be registered if instruments are of the same family (brasses, woodwinds, or percussion).  Find all the details and registration form at: https://www.cognitoforms.com/UnionBands/UHSBandSoloEnsembleFestivalRegistration202526 

📅 Tomorrow night Tues Dec 16, 6-7pm is UBPC Resource Night.  Make account payments, pick up fundraiser chocolate, and ask questions.  Recently ordered Letterman Jackets and VIBES earplugs will be available to pick up at this event.  Recently ordered RR Section merch and other Union Bands merch will not be available until after this event.

📝 UHS and UFA campus block scheduling for Semester Final Exams is coming up later this week.  ***FRESHMEN***: on Thu morning Dec 18 do NOT report to the UHS campus, rather proceed directly to your 2nd Period classroom at the Freshman Academy by 8:40am. Shuttle Bus service from UHS to UFA is ***NOT*** available as it is on normal school days.  

🌞 Calling all Friends & Family wishing to join in the fun for the Renegade Regiment's EAST COAST ADVENTURE next summer, be sure to check out rate & payment information ASAP.   $ deposits are due later this month.  Much more info and registration at: www.unionbands.com/eastcoastadventure/friends-family  

🚨 NEW POLICY for UHS BAND BUILDING starting 2026: In an effort to take better care of our facility, effective Mon Jan 5, food & drinks (except water) may not be consumed within the Band Building.  Eating must happen outside or in other open areas on campus.  This policy is inclusive of lunchtime; Soph/Jr/Sr who may normally eat lunch inside the band building must find a different eating location. 

🎄HOLIDAY SALE! → 'VIBES' Brand Hearing Protection - Discount Pricing Available thru Mon Dec 8

Instrumental music played at high volumes is known to have long-term hearing loss effects. We encourage students to protect their ears by way of using quality earplugs, and we have partnered with Vibes Hi-Fidelity Ear Plugs to provide high quality hearing protection at a reasonable price.

Normally $28.95 per pair, Vibes is offering special pricing of just $17.00 per pair (+ nominal processing fee) for Union Students & Families!

ORDER NOW thru Monday December 8

ORDERS WILL BE DELIVERED TO UNION H.S. AND DISTRIBUTED BY OUR STAFF -OR- coordinated as a special pick-up event for Christmas.

MORE INFO ABOUT THIS PRODUCT:

Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs (seen on TV's Shark Tank) are discreet, reusable earplugs designed for musicians. Instead of blocking and muffling sound like traditional foam earplugs, Vibes reduce the volume of loud live music to a safer and more comfortable level that prevents permanent hearing damage, while still allowing you to hear yourself and the rest of the ensemble play clearly. ‎‎

Each pair of Vibes also includes:‎‎

• Three sizes of interchangeable eartips to ensure a proper fit for any sized ear‎‎

• Attachable cord that allow the earplugs to be hung around the neck and prevents them from getting lost‎‎

• Pocket-sized carrying case‎‎

Vibes are trusted by over 300 of the country's top high school and college band programs (including schools like U of Alabama, U of Texas, U of Georgia, and Oklahoma State), professional orchestras, military bands, independent WGI ensembles, and DCI drum corps.‎‎

Three Union Bands Seniors named National Merit Semi-Finalists

center three pictured, left to right: Edwin Chen, Jacob Coulter, Rylan McClain

Five Union High School Seniors have been named 2025-2026 National Merit Finalists, among them are three Union Bands students! Let’s congratulate:

• Edwin Chen, son of Zhenyu H. Chen and Jane Luo, of Tulsa;

• Jacob Coulter, son of John and Jane Coulter, of Broken Arrow

• Rylan McClain, son of Jeremy and Chenelle McClain, of Broken Arrow
  

ABOUT NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth about $33 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition. Finalists will be named in February 2026.

NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

To participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program, a student must:

• Be enrolled full time as a high school student, progressing normally toward graduation or completion of high school, and planning to enter college no later than the fall following completion of high school;

• Be a citizen of the United States or, if not now a citizen, a permanent U.S. resident (or an applicant for permanent residency) in the process of becoming a U.S. citizen; and

• Take the PSAT/NMSQT ® in the specified year of the high school program and no later than the third year in grades 9 through 12, regardless of grade classification or educational pattern.