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Head Drum Major At Tampa Tech Has The Respect Of Her Peers
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Feature Writer
If you attended any foot- ball games this fall at Tampa Bay Technical High School, chances are you saw the school’s band perform a rou- tine on the field.
It’s also likely that you saw three drum majors line up at the helm of the band. The one in the middle – the shortest of the trio and the only girl – was Deja Austin.
But Deja, 17, isn’t just a drum major. She’s Tampa Bay Tech’s head drum major.
It’s a position that Deja said she had no idea she would achieve four years ago when she first began playing clarinet in the band’s wind section.
But when drum major try- outs were announced last spring, Deja was motivated to throw her reed into the ring.
Over the years, Deja had fine-tuned her performance and worked her way up to leader of the woodwind sec- tion. She knew she had the chops and was confident in her ability, but still met some resistance in her pursuit of
drum major.
“I was nervous because I
was told they weren’t looking for female drum majors,” Deja said. “It was a scare tac- tic to get me out of the game. It just encouraged me to be on top of my game.”
After the first round of in- terviews, Deja was selected as one of five finalists. Her last test was to direct the band through Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U”. To stand out from the other candidates, Deja fol- lowed her mother Jarda Bradford’s advice of remem- bering the mistakes and ac- complishments of past drum majors.
Instead of just handing out sheet music and rapping her baton, Deja researched back- ground on the song, including information about the artist and provided it to band mem- bers. Her strategy wowed the band.
“I think I shocked a lot of people,” she said. “It really im- pressed them.”
A week later, Deja learned that she was the new leader of the band.
“I was shocked,” she said.
DEJA AUSTIN
uinely won the respect of the band “because she know what she’s talking about,” she said.
Deja’s also not afraid to let show off her soft side, Rachel said.
“She’s able to present a side when she’s doing her job – a stern approach,” she said. “But when it comes down to letting her hair down, she’s very goofy.”
Band Captain Jarid Sal- isbury, 17, said he and other band members admire Deja’s work ethic.
“She definitely takes pride in what she does,” said Jarid, who is a senior. “She shows 100 percent.”
Deja says that while her schedule is hectic, she man- ages to keep all of her respon- sibilities prioritized. School comes first, and it shows: this senior – who takes Advanced Placement classes – boasts a 5.3 GPA, making her No. 11 in her class.
Aside from the band, Deja’s other extracurricular activities include volunteering 20 hours a week at a women’s health center. It’s an act of service that not only allows her to give back to the commu- nity, but is preparing her for a future career.
Deja said she aspires to at- tend medical school and be- come a plastic surgeon. She’s eyeing pre-med programs at Florida State University, Geor- gia Technical University, and the University of Michigan.
“I was always interested in the medical field,” she said. “I really like helping people.”
Deja’s parents, Jarda and Willie Bradford, say they aren’t surprised by their daughter’s accomplishments.
“I’ve witnessed how she’s flourished,” said Mr. Brad- ford. “Whatever she puts her mind to do, she’s going to do it.”
Mrs. Branford, who played trumpet and trombone in her high school band, said when Deja first began show- ing an interest in the band during middle school, she en- couraged Deja to participate.
“Our main thing...was to give her an outlet for creativ- ity,” she said.
Deja’s commitment to the band has been strong since the beginning, Mrs. Bradford said.
“She’s very independent,” she said. “We don’t ‘have to stand over her.”
Deja said she humbled to be the leader of Tampa Bay Tech’s band and she’s thankful for the good relationship she has with her fellow band- mates.
“It’s like a family,” she said. “We’re all working for a common purpose and have a good time. We all enjoy the music.”
“I didn’t think I would be head drum major.”
Deja said she hit the ground running in her new po- sition. Over the summer, she prepped for the new school year and attended a music
leadership training camp at the University of Tampa, where she studied different genres of music under the band directors from area high schools.
Part of her duties include teaching commands for per- formance formations, ensur- ing sound quality and tonality is up to par, and running the band’s three weekly practices.
The band keeps a busy schedule year-round, partici- pating in concerts and compe- titions in addition to performing at the football games.
Deja said she doesn’t just consider herself the leader of the band – she’s also a mem- ber, which means she still practices her instrument.
“If I’m not close to perfect, I can’t really demand they do good,” she said. “I have to go over the music so that I can be clear about what I need to hear from the band.”
Deja said she also handles non-music related matters, in- cluding helping peers with homework, coaching and mentoring younger students and helping section leaders manage their players.
“I have a connection with everyone in the band,” she said. “I’m always open and available to everyone. They know they can come to me when they have questions.”
Band Director Rondal Russell said Deja is a model student who is “very responsi- ble.”
“I can always depend on her to do what needs to be done,” he said.
Deja’s ascension to the top isn’t a surprise, he said.
“She put herself on that track a long time ago,” he said. Senior Rachel Stewart, 18, coordinator of the wood- wind section, called Deja “a very strong leader” who’s gen-
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