Dexter Students Enjoying Success at ASU

Jonesboro, Arkansas- As the Arkansas State University Band marches onto the field, a person from Dexter, Missouri would probably recognize several familiar faces. As a 14 year veteran of the Dexter School systems Scott Rybolt has sent several students on to college to pursue careers in Music.

If you were to watch the Arkansas State Marching Band you would see several former students from Dexter.  Tim Moore and Daniel Chappell are Juniors at Arkansas State University.  These two are graduates of Dexter who took what they learned on to ASU to participate in the Marching Band.

Tim Moore is a Music Education Major who graduated from Dexter in 2009.  Everyone probably remembers Tim as the big football player who would come out on the field with half of his football uniform on and play his trumpet.  Tim had a love for football but his music ability is what has helped him move on and get a higher education.

"I don't know about the others but I chose ASU because it wasn't too far from home and they offered me a great music scholarship." Tim commented.

Tim's younger brother Brandon, a former Dexter student and football player, is also attending ASU and a member of the ASU marching band.  Brandon was a graduate of Dexter in 2012 and is attending Arkansas State as a Music Composition Major.

Arkansas State University is a rapidly growing college and has a lot to offer to its students.  One of the attractions to it for these Dexter graduates is its close proximity to their hometown.

Another student at ASU from Dexter is Lauren Dudley.  Lauren is a Music Education major at ASU and plays the saxophone.  Like several other Dexter students she is taking advantage of what she learned and her love of music and turning it into a career.

For ASU student, and former Dexter student, Shelby Chappell it was a good fit. She liked the idea of being close to home and her brother also attends ASU.  Shelby started playing music in the 6th grade on the bassoon and plays the bassoon in Wind Ensemble at A State.

Shelby is a talented musician and plays the trombone in the marching band at ASU. Although she is a talented musician Shelby is using her musical abilities to get a major in Biology with an emphasis in Zoology.

When asked why she ended up at ASU with all of her former Dexter  band-mates, Shelby replied.

"My brother goes to school here too, so the campus and some of the band directors were familiar and I was also offered a band scholarship which will help me pay for college.

These former band members are using what they learned at Dexter High School and more specifically the band, to help themselves succeed in life by getting an education.

The marching band at Dexter sometimes does not get the attention that other activities in high school may get. The students that make up these bands put in many hours of practice and determination to succeed.  As members of the band many of our students like, Shelby, Lauren, Brandon, Tim,  and Daniel will get to use the talents that they have learned to go on and have success in other walks of life.