I used the First Amendment to try to save my high school marching band. Instead, I found my voice.

DELTA — As an American student, I have learned about the First Amendment many times in school. Among other things, the First Amendment protects the people’s right to voice their opinions and is a safety net to keep tyrants in check.

I always envisioned examples of this being an individual’s right to attend their church, or a newspaper’s right to report their findings. I never pictured I could use it in a real-world scenario to try to save the marching band at my high school.

This changed this summer when a friend relayed bad news: The principal of my high school was shutting down the band. I felt the same hopeless frustration she did. After two years of committing to the band as a member of the color guard, it felt like all my effort was for nothing, and there was nothing I could do to change the principal’s mind.

It became transparent in that moment how ticked off the entire band was, yet no action was happening. I drafted up a petition that evening when I returned home, and vowed I would defend my beloved sport even if I was the only one to do so.

For the first time in my life, I wanted to use the beloved First Amendment to make a change in my community. I wanted to be the spark that gave others a voice.

It is not easy to speak out as a teenager in Delta, especially if your opinions aren’t shared by the conservative majority. When Donald J. Trump ran against Joe Biden in 2020, I remember speaking out against Trump because he treated immigrants horribly, and seemed to target minority groups. After that, I was outcast.

I love Delta. There are many wonderful people who are loving no matter what choices you make. But if we constantly tear opposing views down, there is no room for growth and we will never reach a point where everyone can be successful and find their place in our nation.

I found my place in color guard, and by extension marching band, during my sophomore year of high school. Though the band may not turn up a large audience like the musical or have as large of a roster as the track team, this sport is one-of-a-kind to all involved.

Nothing can top the feel of the fresh dew on the football field in early morning practice or having to rush the instruments and flags inside when the clouds decide it’s a good evening for rain. It’s the little moments that make all of the work for competitions worth it.

Marching band has also taught me the importance of hard work and that with practice, I can do hard things. It took us hours, but I and my fellow color guard members were able to synchronize our flags, mock rifles, sabers, and dance moves in our shows. Performing with the marching band was by far what I looked forward to the most this year as a senior: the memories that could’ve been made with friends, the work ethic that would’ve been taught to us.

Additionally, the marching band is an irreplaceable part of our community because it connects people. I cannot forget the spirit that ties people together when a patriotic song is played or the school song is performed.

This is why when the principal said our season was going to be cut, I thought not only of myself but also about how it would affect the community. My petition was not only the result of my outrage. It was also the result of my inner drive to speak for the voiceless. It is hard to speak out when you are young because adults treat you like a child.

During my time at Delta High, we didn’t have a school newspaper, though I am helping the journalism teacher start one up again. Our debate team doesn’t exist. There is a debate class, but no one commits to competitions. Petitions like mine are scoffed at. It feels suffocating because there is no room to branch out. That’s how I knew this petition needed to happen. People in our community need to be open to others opinions.

In my petition, I acknowledged the principal’s concerns. I laid out that we might have a smaller practice season to take it easy on the new teacher. I suggested that a parent volunteer group could help run and plan the band. I even noted that we only had to participate in one competition to qualify for the state competition. All I asked was for the band to be able to go to state.

In the end, I collected a few signatures. The principal negotiated with the band director. His insistence on speaking with the adult in charge completely made sense, but it was another way teens are shut down in our community. Our band was not given our competitive marching season. Instead, we have to be content with performing at halftime shows and preparing for next year.

I, however, do not see my petition as a failed attempt. My long-term goal was not to make the marching band come fully back, it was to show others, specifically underclassmen, that their voice matters too.

Helping others stand up for their opinions and find a place in their community is the spark I wished to create, and I hope it makes changes in my community as well as others because America is supposed to mean so much more than fitting in with your neighbors.

Note to readers • This contest was produced by The Salt Lake Tribune, Spy Hop and Amplify Utah. It was supported through a grant from the American Journalism Project.