The new Scarborough High School band held its holiday concert on Dec. 9 in the school auditorium to the applause of students, staff, friends, and families.

The event marked the culmination of several months of work since the band program began as an elective in the fall under the direction of William Allen. He started the year with just five students, but that number has already grown to about 40.

“I just love the results,” said Allen, who came to Scarborough from Capitol High School in Baton Rouge. Now in his fourth year of teaching, he says that the power of music should not be underestimated. “It’s changing kids’ lives,” he said.

Allen’s next goal is to get the word out about the program at Scarborough so that he can attract more students, especially rising ninth-graders with band experience at their middle schools.

“They don’t even know that Scarborough has a band program,” he said. “I’m going out and promoting Scarborough because I want students to see it as an option.”

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The band program is just the latest positive change at Scarborough, which offers a Futures Academy in network and computer administration, and one of the strongest JROTC programs in the district.

The school is also receiving $12.5 million under the bond program for renovations to help modernize the campus.