Hi everyone! My name is Rachel Higgins and I am the director of the South Hadley High School Winter Guard group named Evolution.

Our town's winter guard had taken a 20-year break until 2024 when the music department restarted it. Winning the Championship title for their division in both 2024 and 2025, this group has done nothing but show great promise in its future! Evolution has grown tremendously in two short years, and myself and my co-director Jim Perron are excited to say that this year is looking to be our biggest year yet!

With the town's budget cuts to the music department, this group is facing some serious financial difficulties this coming season. With our growing group, we will potentially not have the funds to have enough vans or a bus to get our group to and from competitions. Along with that, we don’t have the funds to get the proper equipment (flags, sabres, props) for our show to be showcased at its highest potential. We have no doubt that the kids have the ability and talent to perform an amazing show and take home another Championship title, but without adequate equipment, as a group, we can only do so much.

We are once again asking for the support and help from this amazing group and South Hadley’s music department fan club! Any donation, and/or as many shares an individual can do, is greatly appreciated and will go a long way in helping this group in their future success. We appreciate you for taking the time to read our story and all your support you have given us over the years!