LETTERS: BAND DOESN'T GET SAME COVERAGE AS SPORTS TEAM

To the editor:

I am the proud parent of three members of the Cape Central Marching Band. These kids work very hard and are very devoted to making the band the best it can be. It is as serious to them as any sport. They put as much time, effort and practice in as any of the sports teams. They are out there on the field practicing up to three weeks before school starts in the summer, out in the heat all day long.

But when the news media come to school to watch practice, who get the attention? The sports teams. I personally feel the Southeast Missourian has not done fair justice to its own hometown band. I am not knocking sports at all. Different kids enjoy different things. Some are athletically inclined, some musically.

In this day and time when all we hear is bad news, especially when it involves young people, why not encourage and lift up our youths? For every bad kid there are hundreds of good kids, but all the news talks about is the bad. Band as well as the sports teams are taught discipline and the importance of working together. As adults we need to get behind our youths and let them know we care. So why can't the media support the good kids and give them some coverage?

SUSAN HENSON

Cape Girardeau