IBWHS Band Newsletter
March 30, 2026
Royal Surprises for the Wells Band!
Big excitement in the band world! During the Rose Princess Announcement on March 17, Mr. Nick Caldwell received a surprise of his own—he will be honorarily knighted as a Royal Rosarian by the Prime Minister of the Royal Rosarians! The ceremony takes place June 5 at 9:00am, followed by the Rose Festival Queen’s Coronation.
If you’d like to see the moment, you can watch it on the KATU News livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMbj1hIWFVg. The surprise for Mr. Caldwell starts around the 56-second mark—it’s quick, but really special to see. Fun fact: the Prime Minister first saw Mr. Caldwell at the Barry Manilow Concert last July, when Mr. Caldwell received the Barry Manilow Teacher Award, and was inspired to learn more about his contributions to the SW Community Band and the Ida B. Wells High School Band.
And the celebrations don’t stop there—our very own senior band member Sophie Lafrenz (flute and piccolo, Symphonic Band) has been selected as this year’s Ida B. Wells High School Rose Princess! We are so proud of Sophie and wish her an amazing experience as she represents our school across Oregon.
Save the Date: Band Marching in the St. Johns Parade – May 9
The Ida B. Wells High School Band will be marching in the St. Johns Parade on Saturday, May 9—a fun community tradition and a great chance to support our students. Mark your calendars!
Please note a date change from the last newsletter: there is no practice on April 14; instead, practice will be held on April 15. Additional practices are April 21, 28, and May 5, all after school.
Thanks to our coaches for supporting student participation and to band parent Pamela Jackson for assisting with practices. The band will not participate in the Rose Festival Parade since it is after school gets out.
College Scholarship for a Senior Band Student at Ida B. Wells High School
Senior band students are encouraged to apply for the Merle and Pat Lotz Music Scholarship, honoring longtime music educator Merle Lotz of Ida B. Wells and his wife Pat, who taught music at other schools and inspired generations of students. Two $3,000 scholarships will be awarded at the Senior Awards Ceremony on May 28.
Open to graduating seniors who have taken music classes at Wells. Application requirements include a letter of recommendation, a short written response, and a 3–5 minute music recording.
Order Spring Seeds and Bulbs by April 1st!
Don’t miss out—get your orders in by April 1 for our Spring Bulb & Seed Fundraiser! Shop for bulbs, seed mats, and other garden goodies online and have everything shipped straight to your home. These make great Mother’s Day gifts!
Thanks to your support, we’ve already raised $396—let’s keep it going! 🌷
https://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/index.php/marketplace/seller/profile/shop/idabwellshsband
Support the Band at the Ida B. Wells Auction
Reminder: The Ida B. Wells Awesome 80s Auction is Saturday, April 18 at the MJCC. This is a key fundraiser—every band-procured item that sells directly supports the IBWHS Band.
Thank you to The Old Spaghetti Factory for a $100 gift card donation! We can accept unlimited gift cards and up to four larger items. All donations are tax deductible, and we truly appreciate your support—band is an expensive program to run.
Please submit items to the Auction Committee via Erica by April 3 (unless other arrangements have been made). Questions? Call Erica Caldwell at 541-521-8282.
🎟️ Purchase your tickets here: 2026 Ida B. Wells Auction
2026 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
April 8- PIL Symphonic Band Competition @ McDaniel HS
May 9- St. John's Parade
May 27 - End of School Year Band Concert (Senior's Last Concert) 7PM Ida B. Wells HS
THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR BAND FRIENDS AND FAMILIES FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!
Share with your friends and neighbors!