Ruckel Middle School students shine during All-State and All-County band auditions

Ruckel Middle School in Niceville is celebrating the achievements of their talented band students. Five students were selected to participate in the 2022-2023 Florida All-State Band and an impressive 30 students were selected to perform in the 2022-2023 Okaloosa All-County Honor Band.

Isabel Wooten (clarinet), Riley Geering (clarinet), Simon Smith (trombone), Brody Bliss (euphonium), and Richard Reid (trombone) represented Ruckel as they traveled to Tampa earlier this month. 

• The students performed alongside the best musicians in the state, according to Band Director Teri Bruse.

The Okaloosa All-County Honor Band, which includes 30 students from Ruckel, will perform on Saturday, February 4th, at the Mattie Kelly Arts Performing Center at Northwest Florida State College. 

The community is invited to the concert that will include students from Niceville, Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, Choctawhatchee and Baker high schools, as well as Lewis, Ruckel, Destin, Meigs, Pryor, Bruner, Davidson, Shoal River, Baker, St. Mary & Liza Jackson middle schools.

• The concert is free and open to the public.

The students from Ruckel includes flutists Reagan Wyman, Veronica Bond, Briel Coley, Chloe Ciampa, and Samantha Williams; clarinetists Riley Geering, Isabel Wooten, Avy Hinojosa, Alex Morgan, Hayley Gibson, and Lawren Isbell; saxophonists Andersen Shell and Claire Quick; euphonium player Brody Bliss; trumpeters Emily Martinez and Gianna Borello; French horn players Jalie Borello, Jayla Hurt, and Ava Albright; trombonists Simon Smith, Ethan Brand, Richard Reid, Rose Weinacker, Tyler Steele, and William Ross; and tuba player Julia Milz. The percussion section includes Rocco Welch, Will Scroggs, Roman Hill, and Jackson Zielinski.

This is a proud moment for the Ruckel Middle School band program and the Niceville community.