An F.W. Buchholz High School senior was selected this month to march in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game in January.
Ben Harbaugh, 17, will perform alongside 124 other high school marching band members in a showcase for high school football players, said April Brown, a public relations representative for the Army.
Harbaugh, who began performing in sixth grade and now plays the baritone, said he was happy the Army chose him, a selection based on his musical skill and soldier-like traits.
“It’s reassuring to know that all of my hard work paid off,” he said.
Buchholz band director Shawn Barat nominated Harbaugh after he expressed interest in the performance last Spring. Barat said his skill and passion made Harbaugh easy to support.
“He’s a great student and a great musician,” Barat said, “and he works very hard.”
Joining Harbaugh will be a member of the Eastside High School marching band, he said.
The application consisted of two performances and a video-essay, which Harbaugh said was the most stressful part.
“I’m sometimes awkward talking in front of cameras, but in terms of just marching and playing, I’m so used to it that I wasn’t as nervous,” he said.
Jackie Johnson, an Alachua County Public Schools spokeswoman, said she was proud of Harbaugh’s accomplishment.
“It’s an amazing honor, and it’s another recognition of the outstanding quality of the art and music programs we have in our school system,” she said.
Ben Harbaugh, an F.W. Buchholz High School senior, was chosen to march along with other top-tier high-school band members at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game in January. The senior baritone player was selected based on his musical skill and soldier mentality.
