Directors

Megan Ley: Junior High Band Director.

• College training at Northwest College (bachelors) and the University of Alaska (masters)
• Has taught for 5 years in WA (Toppenish and West Valley Junior High School )
• Trumpet player with vast performance and teaching experience
• Previous National Trumpet Competition finalist
• Marching Band teaching experience with the West Valley HS Ram Band (2005 - present)

Dr. Ron Gerhardstein: High School Band Director.

• College training at the University of Idaho (bachelors and masters) and Temple University (Ph.D.)
• Has taught for 13 years in WA, ID, OH, and PA
• Has taught students age 6 months to college
• Marching Band teaching experience at Weiser HS (Idaho), Grove City HS (Ohio), Delaware HS (Ohio), the University of Idaho, and West Valley HS (2002 - present)

Color Guard Staff

Susan Gleason and Susan Jacobson:

• Both are professional nurses who volunteer their time with the WV Ram Marching Band Color Guard
• Both have worked with the junior high school and the high school color guards as instructor - advisors since 2004
• "The Susans" are invaluable to our high school color guard. They assist with uniforms, equipment, and instruction.
• During band camp the Susans take time off from work to assist our color guard.

Lori Holtey:

• Long time dance instructor and owner of Kent School of Dance in Yakima
• Part of a group of nationally ranked adjudicators who judge dance competitions throughout the summer months all over the United States
• West Valley High School Color Guard instructor since 2005

Percussion Techs

Brian Adams: Brian Adams is a West Valley Graduate of "05. He now lives in Ellensburg and goes to Central Washington University. Brian is currently in the band program at central and has marched in the Seattle Cascades Marching Show for the last 4 years. He also helps lead the percussion section, mostly the drumline throughout the marching season. For Brian's senior project he wrote a show for a winter drumline, he is also doing this this year. Thank you for a great season Brian.

Yeon Hee Yim: Yeon Hee is West Valley Graduate of '06. She moved to the WV district her junior year, and helped lead the percussion section as a leader. She rewrote the parts of our '06-'07 show Minimally Speaking. She has a outstanding leader, and her percussion parts lead the percussion section to win best percussion in the '06-'07 Harvest Marching Competition. She has Been coming back the years later on her break from her college, The University of Washington, to again help the percussion sections excel in their playing ability. Thank you Yeon Hee.

Additional Staff

Chris Thomas: Chris Thomas was the student teacher last year, and helped lead the class to get ready for his career in becoming a band director. He is now the band teacher for Cedro Wooley High School. During the Marching Band season he came to a few days of our band camp to help us with our marching. Chris was also in drum corps. He was in the Seattle Cascades and the Cadets Pennsylvania. Chris also is a known friend to the band and continues to support the west valley band program. Thank you Chris.

Band Booster Parents: These are the band students parents. They would put together our lunches, dinners, and our snacks everyday of the camp, and even on some of our competition days. I and the west valley students give much thanks to the band parents.

.Home. .Competitions. .Students. .Leadership. .Band Camp.