I vaguely remember freshman year at Arrowhead, but those moments with Mr. Moore have stuck with me. South Symphonic Band was terrifying for me, new people, harder music, and high expectations. Losing my sense of direction while I wandered the school searching for the band room. The 4th hour bell rang as I found my way to class, being greeted by Mr. P and settling down in the back of the room. 

The week was a stressful, anxiety-inducing, messy blur. I remember being introduced to Mr. Moore, most of me was anxious about it: ‘What if I mess up?’, ‘What do I do?’, ‘Will I sound dumb if I ask?’ Eventually working up the courage to try and strike up a conversation with someone I'd have to spend the rest of the year with. Something just clicked when we started chatting, there was so much in common between the both of us. Going forward, I was excited to go to class rather than anxious. 

He was the first teacher I could openly talk with about anything. His passion for basketball and percussion is something that will continue to always stick with me. I remember going on and on about my upcoming games as a (terrible) JV2 basketball player, he never failed to express his interest. “How did it go last night?” he never failed to remember.

Freshman year came to an end as sophomore year rolled around, I started to see Mr. Moore less and less. Seeing him perform during Bucks games always made me smile, I’d tell my parents— “That's Mr. Moore!” and they still remember and ask if he was up there every once in a while. Pep band was a highlight yet also a downfall for my year. It was very time-consuming considering my various conflicts, but being able to talk with him about the latest Bucks game was always a highlight. The frustrating music didn’t help either, some of the other percussionists made it seem so natural, I had no clue what I was doing. “Just play quarter notes,” he’d say. It’s clear that he’s passionate about what he does since he continues to come back to be involved with the band program. 

The few times I got to see Mr. Moore was amazing, his infectious laughter, charismatic personality, and caring heart never failed to put a smile on my face. Being able to tell him my highs yet also my lows, he’d listen…every single time. 

“Section 215,” he said, “I probably won't remember that, but I'll try.” “Just remember that it’s right next to 214!” This was one of my favorite conversations with him, it meant so much to have someone to joke around with like it was my freshman year all over again. 

He’s helped me become a better and more comfortable person, showing me that it’s okay to step out of my comfort zone. Thank you Mr. Moore for being an inspiration to me and so many others.