Red Level High School seventh grader MaKayla Harrelson is a girl on a mission.

The seventh grader, who accomplished quite the feat last year by making District VIII Honor Band as a sixth grader and fifth chair trumpet, worked even harder this year, and became the first chair trumpet in District Honor Band at the middle school level, securing her seat at All-State.

“I had to play 15 scales,” she said. “I also had to play two prepared pieces and do sight reading.”

Harrelson said that RLHS band director Demetrius Scott gave her the music for District Honor Band in July and she began practicing for her audition.

“I was practicing three or four times a week,” she said.

Harrelson said she was surprised at how well she did.

“I thought I did horrible,” she said. “I was competing against eighth and ninth graders.”

Scott said that they are very excited that she and Andalusia’s Ethan Shellhouse will represent the geographical region of Covington County and Covington County Schools and Andalusia City Schools.

Shellhouse was selected as second chair trumpet. Andalusia’s Chealse Baldwin was also selected for District Honor Band.

District Honor Band will be set for March 17-18 at Enterprise High School.

All-State Honor Band will be held April 6-8, 2017, at the Renaissance Hotel and Spa in Montgomery.