Herndon High Senior Will Lead 2014 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band

A rising Herndon High senior has been given a prestigious honor.

Blake Morgan has not only been named as a member of the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Marching Band - he's been chosen to lead it.

Blake, a percussionist, was recently named the drum major of the 2014 band, a big honor hundreds of high school marching band members hope to achieve each year.

Members of the band each year are chosen by the National Association for Music Education (NAFME), the U.S. Army, Drum Corps International, and the All-American Games.

According to NAFME, "high school seniors chosen for the band possess exceptional musicianship, marching achievement, character, and leadership skills."

Blake was bestowed with the honor during a ceremony recently, during which the 2013 drum major, Tommy Millitello of Thousand Oaks, Calif., passed him the "shako," which drum majors carry while they march at the front of the band.

The 125 student musicians named to the band this fall will perform at halftime during the All-American Bowl on Jan. 4, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas. The game also features the top high school senior football players in the United States. The students receive an all-expenses-paid trip to San Antonio for rehearsals and the halftime performance.

Read more about Blake's honor on the NAFME website.

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