In his eighth year directing the Hilltopper Show Choir show band at Onalaska High School, Dawson Strutt realized that this year’s band was set to impress.

“I truly think that this is one of the best show bands that I’ve directed,” he said. “There’s such a great mix of personalities and skill.”

The band, made up of 13 students, might not be able to be seen from the audience, but their sound manages to make their presence felt.

This year alone, the band has consistently placed among the top three bands at competitions and has taken home two best band awards, at the Chicagoland Showcase and Wheaton-Warrenville competition, both in Illinois.

The band is crammed into a small space behind the risers where the Hilltopper Show Choir members perform. The instruments and music stands take up most of the space, but the band members don’t seem to mind.

“The students know their role and play it very well; they function to support the performers onstage,” Strutt said. “We know that we’ve done our job if we finish in the top three.”

The band will take the show on the road on April 1 as they head to the Big Apple with the show choir for a major national competition. The weeklong trip will pit the Hilltopper Show Band against some of the fiercest competitors they’ve faced from all over the country.

“These kids have the opportunity to perform on a national stage; it would be neat to finish in the top,” Strutt said. “It’s very competitive, but for us, it’s about giving our best for the performers onstage.”