Emma Watana says that her band class is like a family to her. The 15-year-old got into playing music circa 8 years old and had been playing the flute for five of those years before she switched to the piccolo for the past two years. It was her sister who got her interested in music and she hit the ground running from the moment she picked up her first instrument.

When asked what she wanted to do out of high school, the sophomore said she plans to be an academic scholar, and get enough money from scholarships to enter into a good university. Watana feels the same way as many of her fellow bandmates feel about each other – they’re all a family, bonded by a common interest. She and her fellow peers all work together and in sync with each other, so the bond they’ve developed is strong.

“I associate a good community, with music!” says Watana, piccolo in hand and a smile on her face.