On Oct. 10, as the bustling crowd in the football stadium applauded, junior TJ Polack took his place on stage during halftime to deliver his solo. The applause died down as the 2024 marching band show drifted into its third movement, a rendition of Coldplay’s “Yellow.” Polack’s soothing alto saxophone drowned out the stands’ chatter, freeing a melody that paved the way for the rest of the marching band to follow. 

Alongside numerous solos in marching band and jazz band, Polack has won silver at the state level for Solo and Ensemble, an opportunity to receive ratings and feedback for musical performances. These achievements all stem from Polack’s developed appreciation for music and choice to pursue it without holding anything back.

“Coming [into high school], I had a love for coding and cybersecurity, and that’s what my heart [was] set on. But as time has been moving forward, [my passion for music] has been really starting to bloom,” Polack said. “I feel like always being surrounded by music [is] building a love for it over time.”

In the fall of 2022, senior Dominic Perez met Polack through marching band. Being the only two alto saxophones, they played the same arrangements, leading to their strong bonding. As the drum major this year, Perez values Polack’s work ethic and ambition.

“[Polack’s] a very hard worker, and even when there are distractions around him [and] it’s hard to find motivation, he’s always [at] his best level [of] performance,” Perez said. “It doesn’t matter how good or bad of a day he’s having: he will give you his absolute best no matter what.”

The following year, Polack joined the cross country team, pairing music’s precision with racing’s vigor. Coach and math teacher Kevin John leads the boys cross country team with Coach Kristen Witt. John regards Polack as diligent and serious when it counts most.

“[Polack is] really good at being reliable [and] responsible. [He understands] his [important] role and that he needs to be there for the team, but he also has some other obligations,” John said. “He does a really good job of balancing those [obligations] so that he can participate in several different things.”

As a result of participating in both cross country and marching band, Polack has survived some 14-hour days at school, leaving little time for homework and hobbies. 

“Dealing with a lot of extracurriculars [has been a recent obstacle], but now I feel like [I’m at the] mountaintop where everything’s going to start to slow down,” Polack said. “It was really hard [to balance extracurriculars at the start] because I don’t think I was prepared for it. The first couple [of] weeks I was getting exhausted, but over time, it became like breathing: second [nature].”

Despite long days, Polack stuck with the extracurriculars during his junior year. His observable perseverance gave him new opportunities, like a solo in this year’s marching band show.

“The biggest thing that inspires me about [Polack] is his persistence. He’s such a hard worker, and just seeing his growth since freshman year as a person, runner [and] musician has been incredible,” Perez said.

Although Polack found the rhythm and tempo, he wasn’t always on beat. Junior Ella Bruner met Polack in eighth-grade band, and she has witnessed his personal and musical growth.

“He’s grown a lot as an individual to be where he is now,” Bruner said. “In eighth grade, he was pretty rowdy and all over the place, and now he’s really dedicated to [his] goals. I always see him [in the band room] practicing, even before school.”

Perez has noticed the development in concentration, too.

“His [growth in] confidence has stuck out to me, and also his maturity as a person,” Perez said. “[Polack] sometimes didn’t think about the things he said. He’s matured so much, and he’s very open about it to me. He’s looked back on his past, reflected and tried to improve upon it.”

Polack shares the sentiment that he has grown in maturity. He isn’t afraid of looking in the mirror, nor is he fearful of sharing his progress.

“[I’ve struggled with] paying attention, knowing when to dial in [and] being a bit more respectful to the people around me,” Polack said. “I still have some issues reading the room correctly and knowing when to get serious at times, but compared to year[s] before, I feel like that’s a spot of growth.”

Alongside his growth in maturity and accountability, Polack has developed his personal values through extracurriculars. For example, cross country represents the value of resolve, pushing through grueling workouts and races.

“Cross country made me a better person in terms of determination. [Cross country gave] me much stronger mental willpower [than] what I had before, which was tending to give up [easily],” Polack said. “You have to think about it in the long run. [Cross country] built those mental calluses to really harden [me] up a bit.”

Alternatively, marching band reminded Polack to listen to people around him and make changes in his performance accordingly.

“[Marching band] gave me a better sense of coordination and teamwork. It really makes you listen to the full ensemble instead of hearing yourself playing [and] trying to change just that,” Polack said. 

Having adjusted to the stresses of balancing cross country and marching band, school life and home life, and focus and humor, Polack helps his friends out of their own plights.

“He really upholds the value of friendship because he’s always there, and he’ll always make you laugh without fail,” Bruner said. “He once said to me that you can’t have rainbows without thunderstorms; I think that was mature of him. [At the time,] I was struggling –– I turned to him for support, and he was very uplifting.”

He elaborates on his saying: “You can’t have rainbows without thunderstorms.”

“Nowadays, when [success] is hidden behind this wall, which seems impossible to get through, [people] throw in the towel. That’s such a bad mentality to have, especially when you get into real life where that’s not an option,” Polack said. “When you learn to deal with thunderstorms— those hardships—those irritating situations that make you so tired of everything—that’s when [effort] counts the most. That’s when it’s going to teach you how to push through.”

Another way Polack consoles his peers is with humor. 

“It’s awesome to see how [I] can make people who aren’t in the best moods feel a little bit better,” Polack said. “Being down in the dumps about a situation can be really mentally draining, so being able to turn that on sometimes makes someone smile a little bit more.”

Perez encourages Polack to look back at the path he’s marched, not only to improve but to reflect on those improvements and see how far he’s come.

“[Polack] is like a brother to me. I’ve been through everything with him,” Perez said. “He really beats himself up a lot—not just in marching band, [but also] when he’s practicing. I wish he wouldn’t because he’s so talented.”

However, Polack doesn’t agree that he’s hard on himself. Inspired by his peers, Polack knows the work he has to put in to reach his goals and chooses to go the extra mile until he has the life and strengths he seeks.

“You are not owed a single thing in life, not a dime nor a dollar. The moment you get out of school, it’s all up to you, so if you want to make something happen, you have to do it on your own,” Polack said. “You have to fight with all your might because it’s not going to [be handed] to you. That’s never how it works.”