PEARL, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Members of the Pearl High School Band have been practicing this summer ahead of the first football game of the 2024 season. There’s another high school band that Mississippi fields every summer. It’s the Mississippi Lions All State Band.

There are more than 140 members of the band. After an intense one week of 18-hour days of marching and concert practice, they got to Australia to compete with the rest of the world.

They placed first in the competition. If you’re familiar with the Mississippi Lions All State Band, then you know this is familiar territory for them.

“It’s pretty incredible, But it’s not something we’re not used to. The band has won 37 international championships in their 76 years of existence,” said Nichole Allen, the concert band director.

Jeff Canon, the director and manager of the band, sees another positive from taking these students to competition. You’ve heard of putting your best foot forward? Well, the 145 members of this band puts 290 best feet forward for Mississippi.

“Our state doesn’t have the best reputation worldwide. And our young people do a great job of dispelling those myths,” said Canon.

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