Jazz band gets first in its only competition

OTTUMWA - The Mt. Pleasant High School Jazz band was one out of 10 schools that participated in the annual Indian Hills High School Jazz Band Festival Friday morning. Mt. Pleasant took first place out of all of the 3A schools competing in the festival.

The high school's second jazz band or ‘Jazz 2' was given second place out of all three second bands competing in the competition on Friday.

The jazz festival was the only in-person jazz competition the band competed in this year. According to the band director, Jim DePriest, many of the colleges that the competitions are held at were not comfortable having crowds, and high school students from across the state coming to their campus. Thus, the Indian Hills competition was the only in-person competition of the year.

The jazz band season is now coming to an end after only one competition, compared to its normal slate of numerous competitions they attend.