“I was introduced to color guard during middle school orientation,” said Emelly Muñoz. Emelly fell in love with the arts of color guard early on and has been doing it since. The arts have changed her perspective on life and have given her immense joy. 

“I’ve always been a very quiet person and through the arts of color guard, it has allowed me to grow, not only as a performer but as a person.” Emelly, now in 12th grade mentioned. “I have also learned to be more outgoing. I find myself not having as much difficulty starting discussions with new people as I would have in the past.” 

Her journey began with wanting to try something new, and now it has developed into something that is part of her.

People say everyone needs a hobby. A hobby can be seen as a distraction, a coping mechanism, as well as a stress reliever. People have many burdens and goals they wish to fulfill, yet, without a break, they will only overwork themselves. For Emelly, color guard has been her stress reliever.

“It was my way of getting away from problems I was having. I didn’t have a care of what problems I was having. I would worry about them afterward because it was MY time,” said Emelly. “It became a safe place for me.”

Throughout her life, she has run into many obstacles that shackled her mindset. She never had something that would make her feel just as special as everyone else. Color guard became that place for her, her safe haven. Although it became an amazing place, it did come with some losses.

“I often found myself missing dances, events, and some family time because of it,”  she mentioned. “I had found myself more loyal to the arts than to other people.”

Emelly devoted herself to her hobby and because of this, she lost lots of time with family and friends. However, getting to have her own time, making new friends, and memories overwhelmed the feeling of loss. It allowed her to find a way to truly express herself, despite having trouble finding other ways to do so.

Starting this journey through the arts has helped her recognize her own self-worth as well as given her the confidence she has always needed. Color guard became a place in which she could truly be free from responsibilities and burdens. Even in the toughest of times, she was able to cope and re-establish herself with color guard. To her, the arts are an important part of who she has become today.

“My art has its ups and downs, but it’s honestly my everything and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else,” Emelly concluded.