Drum major Grace McIntosh won the John Philip Sousa Award and Mackenzie Sewell won the John M. Long Award, the top two awards Bainbridge High School Band members can receive at Tuesday night’s annual concert and awards program at the school gymnasium.

While presenting the awards Decatur County director of bands Paschal Ward pointed out that Sousa, known as the March King, is the founder of the American band programs as we know them today and is the most well known and distinguished band master in history.

The award, in Sousa’s name, is given each year in recognition of outstanding achievement and interest in instrumental music, for singular merit in loyalty and cooperation, and for displaying those high qualities of conduct that school instrumental music requires.

The John M. Long Award, named for the dean of the school of fine arts, director of bands and distinguished professor of music emeritus at Troy University, goes annually to a senior musician who displayed leadership, dependability, loyalty, cooperation, musicianship and other qualities of conduct, which school instrumental music programs strive to impart.

The Edwin and Kathleen Ivey Johnson Music Scholarship, which was won by Haley Harrell, was instituted in honor and recognition of Edwin and Kathleen Ivey Johnson by their son Emory Johnson and his family in 2009 upon the celebration of Edwin Johnson’s 90th birthday. The scholarship recognizes a member of the Bainbridge High School band for their musical, academic and leadership roles in high school and the community. Haley Harrell is the eighth recipient of the scholarship. Each of the previous recipients had the opportunity to continue their education at the college of their choice.

The 2016 recipient of the Paschal Ward Music Scholarship was William Paul Whaley. The scholarship, named for the Decatur County School System’s director of bands, has been established by the Decatur County Band Boosters and is awarded each year to a deserving senior member of the Bainbridge High School Band who has demonstrated outstanding musical talent.

Outstanding freshman band awards went to Samantha Washington, Erin Spooner, Zach Wilson and Makayla Ingram. Outstanding sophomore band awards went to Claudia Luevano, Paige Stegall, Ryan Burgess and Jacob Brown. Outstanding junior band awards went to Kaci Hall, Mallory West, Jacquarious Davis, Devon Poole and Summer Boyd.

The National School Marching Band Award went to Odinaka Obinwanne, the Instrumentalist Magazine Musicianship Awards went to Sara Michael Farrington, Robert Hayes and Jesus Juarez.

The Woody Herman Jazz Band Award went to David Brock and the Directors Awards went to Tyler Allen and Regan Cutchin. Band manager Jonathon Thrower was honored for all his hard work and dedication. The Instrumental Magazine Merit Awards went to Ryan Whitaker and Matthew Walker. Outstanding concert band member awards went to Kenneth Kelley, Sarah Johns and Hanson Chaney.

Each year the band honors members who have displayed loyalty and perseverance as well as musicianship with the optimism award. This year’s optimism award winner is Larry Carroll. The Patrick Gilmore Band Award went to William Paul Whaley and the Louie Armstrong Jazz Band Award winner was Nathaniel Lambert.