Kevin Slocum has been offered a spot on the Madison Scouts Color Guard for the 2008 season.

Kevin Slocum of Valencia was recently offered a spot on the Color Guard of the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps for the 2008 season, which includes 28 shows in 16 states from late June to early August, plus the Drum Corps International (DCI) Finals in Indianapolis from August 5 through August 9.

Kevin will travel to Madison, Wisconsin for "camp" right after high school finals in early June, and spend the entire summer on the road practicing, traveling and competing with this group of 150 talented young men aged 16 through 22 years old. You can see the complete Madison Scouts 2008 show schedule here. Kevin is also a member of the color guard at Valencia High School.

2008 marks the 70th anniversary for the Madison Scouts, a group that strives to stay true to their mission of personal development through the rigors of competitive and creative drum corps. With 2 DCI championships to their name and over 5,000 alumni, the Madison Scouts organization provides a great opportunity for young men to develop skills that will serve them for the remainder of their lives. Values such as honesty, integrity and accountability are taught and practiced on a daily basis.

In addition to honing their skills and the art of performance, members of the Madison Scouts develop leadership capabilities, discover new found personal confidence and develop a fraternal bond with their fellow marching members as well as with generations of Madison Scouts who have shared the same experiences. The Madison Scouts is a World Class drum and bugle corps, and their shows are intense, choreographed fan-pleasing musical experiences staged on football stadium fields throughout the country.

Having participated in a youth marching band myself during my high school years, I know how challenging and rewarding an experience like this can be for young people. While the Madison Scouts is an all-male corps, there are many other drum and bugle corps that accept both young men and young women. If you know a musician or color guard member who would enjoy this type of experience, I encourage you to investigate the many different drum and bugle corps and select one to audition for. The audition experience in itself can be life-changing, so don’t be afraid to send a teen to the auditions just for the experience, even if you think they’re not quite ready to "make it" yet.

The drum and bugle corps experience is quite complicated and expensive from an administrative standpoint, with the task of providing meals, transportation, housing, training, uniforms, equipment, and more for 150 young people for an entire summer. The dues that each member contributes only cover a small fraction of the total costs of a summer tour, especially with the rising costs of fuel these days. A typical tour will cover over 10,000 miles in one summer, transporting 150 corps members plus staff, volunteers, uniforms, horns, drumline and color guard equipment, and food preparation equipment plus all of the food, sleeping bags, clothing and personal supplies for each member. You can imagine what an entourage this can be!

If you’d like to donate to the Madison Scouts to help them continue their training of young men like Kevin, please click on the Make a Donation button below and fill in any amount that you’re comfortable with - every little bit helps!

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