
Coral Glades band director Alexander Sanchez and All-State band member
Ayanna Smith. {David Volz}
Ayanna Smith was honored with an invitation to perform in the All-State band in Tampa January 8-11.
Smith, 17, a Coral Springs resident, plays tenor saxophone in the Coral Glades High School marching band, wind ensemble, and basketball pep band. She was selected to rehearse and perform in a band of top musicians at the Florida Music Educators Association conference in Tampa.
“I have enjoyed being in the band since I was in the ninth grade, and I want to study music in college,” said Smith, a senior. She has a 3.5 grade point average.
Smith has overcome challenges. Her father, Jarvis Smith, died when she was 8. “He was a musician, and I wanted to follow him into music,” she said.
According to Coral Glades band director Alexander Sanchez, Smith is a hard-working and talented musician. He recommended her as a candidate for the band, and a committee selected her after evaluating his recommendation and her resume.
The All-State musicians will undergo a very intensive rehearsal schedule as they learn to work together and culminate their time with a performance.
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Author Profile

- David Volz has worked as a writer in South Florida for 35 years. He has written for the Sun-Sentinel, Hollywood Gazette, School Transportation News, South Dade News Leaders, Observer among others. He has an MA in Communications from Florida Atlantic University and a BA in Communications from Valparaiso University. Volz teaches Communications at Miami Dade College and Palm Beach State College. He lives in Coral Springs and enjoys running and participating in 5Ks and half-marathons.
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