The Granada Music Program has many musical aspects to it like concerts, pep rallys, and marching but what it lacks is a visual to go along with their music. That’s where the Granada Color Guard comes in, ran by George Pascoe and overseen and choreographed by Jamie Hjeltness and Sierra Sowa.

Beginning at the start of last fall, Livermore High School no longer marches during their fall season and only performs concert pieces or pep tunes. Because of this the LHS’ color guard had no place to compete as they weren’t going to march. That was until the Granada-Livermore Guard was formed combining both school’s color guard to make a bigger and better atmosphere and provide a way they can perform and compete.

Elizabeth Kagel, a returning sophomore color-guard performer, said that, “I joined color guard because of a flyer I saw on the bulletin board outside the building, and it’s been an amazing decision due to the people, family, and friends I’ve made. The guard has really become a family to me.”

The Color Guard’s role in the fall season is to provide a visual to a marching band as just watching people march in a straight line can get boring. The arsenal of props that the color-guard uses vary from a flag, some shields with G, H, S on them, a rifle, and a saber. With this variety, guard provides and illustrates a visual that helps convey the music being played by the band.

Fiona Hennigan (Grade 11), one of the flag line section leaders, said that, “I’ve been in guard for one year and I’ve continued to participate in color guard because of all the friends and family I’ve made and because of the experiences I’ve gained from last year’s parade, Emblem of Unity.”

The members of the GHS-LHS color guard are Aniella Zullo (Grade 12), Julia Cuison (Grade 11), Nola McAllister (Grade 11), Charlotte McCloud (Grade 11), Natasha De Ment (Grade 10), Sara Willey (Grade 10), Nuha Maflahi (Grade 10), Margo Blair (Grade 10), Elizabeth Kagel (Grade 10), Angelina Cruz (Grade 10), Sofia Bourque (Grade 10), Amber Belk (Grade 10), Riley Kersh (Grade 10), Kylie Haven Cato (Grade 9), Kaitlyn Craighead(Grade 9), Lorelei Hennigan (Grade 9), and Aaliyah Guerrero (Grade 9).

The Color Guard is composed of two Co-Captains, Sabriena Cullins (Grade 12/GHS) and Ness Mazerlev (Grade 11/LHS).

“I tried out to be a captain because I wanted to give the experience that all the captains I had before gave to me and I also wanted to show off all of the hard work that I’ve been putting into my guard experience, and especially that we could be a strong guard together,” said  Cullins, Co-Captain of the Guard. “I think my job as captain is important because I now have to be a role model and teach how to act and perform during competitions and practices.”

During the winter season, the color guard has their own shows and competitions they perform at all over the Bay Area. Usually, the Color Guard performs on a floor that they place on the ground to protect the gym floors from damage, and they use props like chairs, custom floors, or set pieces to convey a message of the story they are telling.

Granada hosts one of these events called “Fiesta” where color guards and drumlines from all over the Bay Area perform and can receive rewards like trophies for performing well. Last fiesta, many schools came and competed, with some middle schools but mostly high schools like Fairfield High School and Benicia High School.

The Color Guard provides an amazing visual that paints a picture for the story they are telling and continues to impress everyone who watches them compete. The Granada Guard is the paint to Granada’s canvas.