PORT NECHES — The drum majors at Port Neches-Groves High School Band are looking at an exciting, busy year.

Seniors Jack Dolce, Makenna Fore and Madelyn Clark have battled the heat and worked to make sure the 260 or so fellow band members stay enthusiastic and have a little fun while learning their upcoming performances as well as competition performances.

Summer band practice began Aug. 1 and the first day of school is Aug. 23. The band’s first performance of the school year is set for Aug. 26.

“We like to keep high spirits,” Dolce said.

Dolce, Fore and Clark are basically the eyes and ears of the band director and help their band mates.

Leading the band is a special task and the three drum majors are proud to honor the tradition of the school and of honing their leadership abilities.

“For me, the experience as a drum major is one of leadership,” Dolce said. “Once you’re through you are very prepared for the world.”

The PNG Band, which is a show band, is also working on their performance at the Region X Marching Contest, which will occur later in the year.

The three drum majors spoke excitedly about the theme, which is based on H.G. Wells’ “War of the Worlds.” The show will be more thematic not storytelling, they said.

“The first movement is a compilation of the movements of Mars and Jupiter taken from a seven-movement musical piece from composer Gustav Holst,” Fore said. “The second movement is a mash up; Louis Armstrong’s “It’s a Wonderful World,” and Tear for Fears’, “Everybody wants To Rule the World.” The third movement is “New World Symphony” from Antonin Dvorak and “Saturn Returns,” a very new piece (by Michael Markowski).”

Dolce, Fore and Clark held sheets of papers featuring the various patterns that will be featured in the competition show.

Friday Night Lights fans will see some fun shows coming up this season — one will be “Billie Jean,” a Michael Jackson feature and Dolce will perform the Moon Walk.

Another, they said, is a Queen mash up of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions.”

Dolce plays trumpet; Fore plays clarinet and Clark plays French horn. Although all three have been musicians since the sixth grade none are going to major in music in the future.

Fore plans to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner, likely starting the basics at Lamar University then moving on to a nursing school.

Clark will pursue a career as a dental hygienist, possibly starting out at LU then moving on to Texas A&M University, she said.

Dolce has chosen a career as an optometrist. While not sure where he will earn his bachelor’s degree, he plans to major in business then move to the University of Houston to study optometry.

All three students are members of the National Honor Society and Fore and Clark are members of HOSA-Future Health Professionals organization. Clark is also a member of the Key Club.

Mary Meaux: 409-721-2429

Twitter: @MaryMeauxPANews