{"id":4446,"date":"2020-06-29T12:28:41","date_gmt":"2020-06-29T16:28:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/?p=4446"},"modified":"2020-06-29T12:28:41","modified_gmt":"2020-06-29T16:28:41","slug":"carmel-band-students-staff-and-alumni-look-for-the-smiley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musictravel.com\/blog\/2020\/06\/29\/carmel-band-students-staff-and-alumni-look-for-the-smiley\/","title":{"rendered":"Carmel Band Students, Staff and Alumni Look for the Smiley"},"content":{"rendered":"

Celebrating 25 years of the Carmel Marching Band Smiley Face<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was a simple solution to a bigger problem. The weather during the Carmel Band marching season of 1995 had been horrendous. Heavy downpours to snow, the parents were wrapped up in outwear for protection from the elements. Even seeing school colors, the students couldn\u2019t determine where their fans were seated let alone make out any faces in a sea of what seemed to be every group\u2019s colors of blue and yellow blankets, coats and hats. Then marching band vice president and parent, Patt Elff said, \u201cI decided to get out my trusty smiley face friend who was always hanging in my classroom, reminding my lovely<\/em> middle schoolers to put on a happy face and smile, smile, smile.\u201d The plan was to use the smiley\u2019s, \u201cmagical powers so my daughter and her best friend and others could see exactly where we were in any audience,\u201d she said. The plan worked as many students were able to find the bright yellow dot. A few phone calls and an amazing 25 years later, and the smiley face greeting from the fans while the Carmel High School Marching Greyhounds<\/a> are on the field is as iconic as it is loved.<\/p>\n

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\"Patt
Patt Elff grabbed the smiley face from her middle school classroom and used it in the stands as a way for her daughter to easily spot her during a performance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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“Along with seeing a sea of supporters in the stands easily, [the smiley] definitely puts the performers into the exact mindset that I want them in for that moment – smiling and ready to have fun. In what is often a high stakes, high stress moment for the kids, having a quick release where they see smiles and can smile back helps to ease all of that.”<\/p>\n