The Ballou Marching Band - Band Director Darrell Watson

Darrell Watson along with his volunteer staff, all alumni of the South East Washington DC, Ballou High School is transforming the lives of current students. Mr. Watson is more than just a band director but a mentor who teaches his students to set goals and take pride themselves. Through the power of music, the Ballou Marching Band has become a force of change in not only the lives of the members but in the community in which they live. Join host Scotty Reid as he talks to Mr. Watson and two of his band members about the inspiring story of the Ballou Marching Band.



Ballou, a documentary film:
The Ballou High School Marching Band is truly a gem in the harsh, often unforgiving, environment of Washington DC Public Schools (DCPS). As we set out to make this documentary, we made a very conscious decision to focus on what is positive here at Ballou, namely the Marching Band. With so much negative press we felt compelled to tell a different kind of story. We wanted to highlight the positive influence that the Ballou Marching Band has on the kids and the community. There is a common held belief in the media that the public will not respond to news stories about things that are positive and upbeat, but rather prefer stories about tragedy and hardships. This documentary film on the Ballou Marching Band will demonstrate that this is not always the case. - Michael Patrei, Directorhttp://www.balloumovie.com