Two Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students participated this summer in the Raiders Drum Corps, a competitive ensemble band based in New Jersey and the Philadelphia area. La Plata High School students Andrew Cook, rising freshman, and David Mason, rising sophomore, were a part of the Raiders team and participated in several performances during the six-week camp this summer.

The Raiders is a Drum Corps International Open Class team. Drum Corps International “has been the leader in producing events for the world’s most elite and exclusive marching ensembles for student musicians and performers,” according to dci.org.

"The 2024 program, 'Fan the Flame,' is about starting off as a spark and how we didn't start the fire in the program but we're going to keep the fire going," Mary Lopez, Raiders’ drum major, said. "We've had the highest scores in Raiders’ history and I'm so grateful to experience this with all the members."

"This is a huge accomplishment [for the students]," La Plata High School band director Wesley Harler said.

Check out a video on the Raiders team this summer: https://youtu.be/Oz-8qF0oNkI?si=HcrOadnUEzkC28XX.