Cibola High School student performs with FFA National Band

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Cibola High School junior Marcos Amaya performed in the 95th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis last month.

For further context, Amaya performed as a member of the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Band.

Selected out of 256 auditions, Amaya played the flute in the band.

“During the application and audition process, I thought to myself how cool it would be to be in a band while being able to wear the blue jacket in one of the largest student-led organizations in the United States," Amaya spoke.

Once he arrived in Indianapolis and joined his bandmates, the band performed six pieces across four days.

"We spent about 3 hours the first night just dissecting the concert pieces until we worked through one entire piece. For the rest of the week, the rehearsals maintained a length of about 3 hours with 2-3 rehearsals per day of just constant playing and repetition until we got it right. The number of friendships and bonds I had the opportunity to develop throughout the week is second to none," Amaya continued.

In addition to Amaya, Cibola alum Tyler Martinez, Class of 2021, attended the Convention as a National Officer candidate.

Eleven students from Cibola, Gila Ridge and Yuma also attended the event.

Overall, more than 28,000 FFA students from across the nation were in Indianapolis.