Shampoo bottles thud against the floor as senior Jacqueline Lum scrambles to get out of the shower. Her heart races and adrenaline pumps as she hardly contains the ecstasy yearning to escape through her high-pitched screams.

In January, Lum and junior Erin Reigh were selected into the Texas Music Educators Association 5A Symphonic All-State Band. Now they reap their rewards sown from months of preparation with a casual sense of disbelief and pride.

“My mom told me when I was taking a shower,” Lum said. “I told her to let me take the conditioner out, but I was so excited. And the house was full of screams.”

While the Lum household bounced with joy, her fellow classmate projected a distinctly mellow and tame reaction.

“I didn’t think that I made it,” Reigh said. “I couldn’t find where the results were posted and it didn’t settle in for a while.”

The months of work required for the fulfillment of such an achievement affected each student in distinctly different ways. Lum recalls the frantic, high-charged nature of such long hours of preparation.

“It was really stressful practicing every day,” Lum said. “I felt like giving up but I knew it was worth it.”

A similar sense of achievement is shared by Lum’s contemporary. However, Reigh has more relaxed memories of the preparation process.

“It’s been way laxer than years past,” Reigh said. “Experience made the process easier but nerves still get in the way sometimes.”

Regardless, no amount of stress or lack thereof can take away the sense of fulfillment held by both Lum and Reigh. Such prestigious accolades are certain to instill pride in any recipient and there is no exception in either of these students.

“It means a lot cause you’re the best of the entire state,” Lum said. “Basically being the best helps you get into music programs.”

A similar sentiment is shared by Reigh.

“It tells me that I should not give up on band,” Reigh said. “Now I’m almost positive I’ll at least minor in music.”

Reigh ranked sixth out of seventh in clarinets while Lum placed first out of only three piccolos picked into her division. Both were the only Mansfield ISD students in their respected instrument groups.

“Band means everything to me,” Lum said. “Now I’m going to audition for the music program at the University of Texas at Arlington.”