Five Washington Middle School students auditioned for the Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association Junior High/Middle School Honor Band, in what their director calls a historic year.

Rita Du, Avery Marner, Kate Flannery, Claire Wubbena, and Trevin Sulentich submitted recorded auditions this January instead of the live auditions that are usually held in Fairfield. Accepted into the honor band were Du, Flannery, Wubbena, and Sulentich, while trombonist Wubbena was also accepted to the eighth grade Iowa Bandmasters Association honor band. Washington Middle School Band Director Craig McClenahan says the students knew that there would be no honor band festival to perform for family and friends this year because of the pandemic, and he congratulates the students for this achievement. For photos of the students, visit this story at kciiradio.com.