By SAVANNA PATINO

On Wednesday April 5, 2017, Redlands East Valley High School’s Varsity Winter Guard team woke up at 2 am and got on a plane to Dayton, Ohio. The team traveled to compete in Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships. Winter Guard is an athletic/performance activity that has been coined as the “sport of the arts.” Teams perform in arenas and basketball courts, spinning flag, rifle, and sabre, while utilizing dance techniques and emotion. Winter Guard teams, both high school and independent, travel from all over the world to compete, showcase their talents, and come together with thousands of other people who enjoy the same activity. This year, REV’s Varsity team had the opportunity to compete in the preliminary round against 120 other teams in their division and watch world class teams compete in finals. The team prepared the trip for almost two years and was able to take part in WGI’s 40th year anniversary celebration. Although the team did not make it to semifinals (only the top 60 guards made it), the team was able to watch the other guards and learn from other teams from around the world. The trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. ​