This season, BAND went on the look for exceptional young athletes who empower and inspire everyone around them. We asked coaches to tell us about an athlete that has inspired them and the rest of their teams to work harder and push forward in the face of challenges.
We were amazed by the incredible stories that coaches from all over the country sent in about their athletes. The amount of love and passion felt by the coaches who submitted was clear in every entry, and it has been very difficult to narrow down the list of deserving and qualified athletes.
BAND is very pleased to present our Recommended Athlete Scholarship to Paris Simpson.
Congratulations, Paris!
Based on her skill, sportsmanship, and perseverance, Paris has been awarded the ‘Recommended Athlete’ Scholarship by everyone here at BAND. We hope she continues to uplift her teammates and helps them band together!
Paris Simpson is a 17-year-old dancer at Dance Dream Studios. She has been dancing at the studio since she was five years old and grew up through the program. Even though she’s often reserved and shy, her smile and dancing are able to light up the room.
Paris continually seeks to improve herself with workshops and extra opportunities that the studio offers. Even when she was having a hard day, her love of dancing helped her push through and motivate herself. Through hard work, Paris has grown up to be a strong and versatile dancer.
At the Dance Dream Studios, kids are paired with older dancers in a Big Sister/Big Brother Project. The older dancers act as mentors for the younger dancers and help them practice and rehearse. When it’s time for the shows, the older dancers will also help them prepare backstage.
Paris thrived as a Big Sister through this program and also acted as an assistant in classes for several years. This year, Paris is even teaching her own beginner hip-hop class for seven-year-olds!
While some parts of her home life were less than ideal, Paris’ father was a constant good in her life. He would always bring her to dance class, rehearsals, and performances, to help teach her consistency and see her thrive.
His friendly and positive attitude helped uplift the entire studio. Once, during an award ceremony, he was even invited on stage to try and perform himself!
Tragically, her father recently passed away this summer after a long fight with cancer. Around this same time, Paris was able to honor a promise she made him and attended a week-long intensive course to continue pursuing her dream.
At that very same convention, Paris was awarded a scholarship to ADMA, a college for the performing arts, where she hopes to attend in Los Angeles this Fall.
At BAND, we are inspired by Paris’s dedication towards pursuing her dreams. We hope that this scholarship will inspire Paris and her studio to continue working hard and band together!
A great coach inspires their athletes, but great athletes inspire their coaches.
Thank you to everyone who submitted their athletes for our competition. Our submissions may be closed, but we plenty of winners still to be announced!
Stay tuned for more contest updates very soon.
