Unity Winter Ensemble was established in the spring of 1999 when Mary Pierce began working at Elkton High School. Before Mary taught EHS, she worked at Wilmington High School and Glasgow High School. She is currently involved with the Visual Arts Production Company after taking a year off of working with the University of Delaware Marching Band.
Mary graduated from Glasgow High School in 1996 where she was the captain her sophomore and senior years. She then went on to the University of Delaware where she was the captain from 1997-1999. She is also a charter member of the Visual Arts Production Company and taught there in 2001.
Other than teaching colorguard, Mary works for the Jewish Community Center of Delaware. She enjoys spending her precious free time reading any James Patterson book she can get her hands on and "stalking" the Atlanta Braves. Her favorite song (and colorguard show) is Hotel California. Her favorite musician is Billy Joel, and her favorite musical group is the Barenaked Ladies. But the love of her life is Unity Winter Ensemble...and they definately know it!
Janine Scherr has been teaching Unity for the past 4 years. She just marched her senior show at the University of Delaware on November 15, 2003. She went back to march outdoor colorguard after marching clarinet for the Blue Hen Marching Band for 3 years. Janine also teaches Elkton High School Marching Band. She's been a guard instructor for the Golden Elks for the past 4 seasons.
Janine graduated from Glasgow High School in 1999. She marched both outdoor guard and indoor guard when she was still in high school. When Janine got to the University of Delaware, she did colorguard her freshman year. She decided to do Basketball Pep Band in the Winter and eventually made the decision to come back to band as a clarinet player the following season. Elkton High School and University of Delaware's Colorguard was really happy to see her back in the visual ensemble this season. She's a great performer and added quite a bit to the flag line this year.
Janine also has another job besides colorguard. You can find her working as a Supervisor at Dairy Queen a few days a week. She also works for the University of Delaware in between her crazy college schedule. When she has time to spare, Janine loves to "stalk" the Atlanta Braves with Mary. She also enjoys going out with her friends in the Newark Area.
Jen has been working with Unity Winter Ensemble for the past 2 seasons. She spins all pieces of equipment, but she mainly works with the sabres and flags. Jen currently instructs at McKean High School with her twin sister Melissa. She has been teaching there for the past 2 years as well and was an Assistant Instructor before she and her sister took over the program.
Jen graduated from McKean High School in 1997 where she was the colorguard captain her senior year. Jen went on to the University of Delaware where she was actively involved in the University of Delaware Marching Band Colorguard as well as the Visual Arts Production Company. Jen was an outdoor guard captain for the UDMB in 2001. She was also a winterguard captain for the Visual Arts Production Company in 2001 and 2002.
Jen graduated from the University of Delaware with a bachelors degree in Early Childhood and currently works for the Goddard School in Hockessin, DE. When she's not working with her 1-year olds or teaching colorguard, she also works at Value City for a few extra spending dollars. In the non-existent free time that she occasionally has, Jen likes to listen to country music and read. Her favorite author is Danielle Steele.
It has taken almost a year for the marching members of Unity Winter Ensemble to figure out which twin is which. Jen is considered the one with longer hair...or the one who likes to drive...or the one with the sabre in her hand. The performers are finally starting to figure out that Jen is more than just that girl in the purple shirt. Go them!
Melissa has been with Unity Winter Ensemble for the past 2 seasons. She is currently instructing McKean High School's outdoor colorguard and has been there for the past 2 marching band seasons. Prior to taking over the program, Melissa was an assistant instructor to McKean's program. While she spins all pieces of equipment, Melissa mainly works with the rifles and flags.
Melissa went to McKean High School where she was the colorguard captain in 1996. She also graduated in June of 1997 and went on to persue her Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood at the University of Delaware. Melissa was a member of the UDMB as long as she was a student. She was one of four colorguard captains in 2001. Melissa was also very involved in the Visual Arts Production Company. She was captain with her twin sister, Jen, in 2001 and 2002.
Melissa is also a work-a-holic. When she's not teaching colorguard, she works full time for Value City. In her very limited spare time, she likes to hang out with her little sisters and spend quality time with her family. She loves to listen to country music....especially Lonestar. Melissa also likes to drag the rest of the Unity Winter Ensemble staff out on Friday nights so that the rest of them have some sort of social life.
1. They sudddenly disappear on weekends.
2. They talk about "the season" and they don't mean Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.
3. Their video collection is filled with strange three letter words...WGI, DCI...
4. They are experts with an ace bandage.
5. They can talk at lengths about color, vocabulary, and spacial pathways.
6. They live out of their car.
7. When getting or giving directions, they use high schools as landmarks.
8. They have a seemingly endless supply of white electrical tape.
9. They can sew.
10. Anything you need is in their backpack.
Units They've Marched, Teched or Directed
Drum Major Academy
McKean High School Marching Band 2004
1999 McKean Indoor
1998 McKean Indoor
Third Degree Winter Ensemble
University of Delaware Marching Band
Wilmington High School