Ryan Breslin Nomination Letter

To whom it may concern,

I am writing this letter on behalf of Michelle Owens’ nomination to the Cadets Hall of Fame. Michelle had an incredible marching arts career which inspired countless students around the country, and imparted her positivity, work ethic, and overall love for the activity to our very own beloved Cadets organization. I was fortunate enough to march in the corps when Michelle was on staff, and can attest to her impact on our attitudes and performance first hand.

Michelle worked with Cadets for six years, from 2003 to 2008, and came back for the last two weeks in 2009 to help with the push to finals. I remember Michelle being a beacon on positivity even on the gloomiest of days. The corps worked hard, as the Cadets are always expected to, and this could often wear on your emotions, your physical state, and your mental attitude. Sometimes members got close to their breaking points. I remember hearing Michelle yelling at us from the sideline words of inspiration and encouragement. She was always there for the members, both on the field and off. She was highly respected, looked up to, and valued by all those in the corps.

Michelle’s work ethic was second to none, and her genuine want for us to be great was always evident. A shining example of her work ethic having an incredible impact on the members was the 2005 season. We know how well the corps performed that year, and how incredible their finals performance was. Michelle helped the color guard take home the George Zingali award that year; she helped them become the best.

In closing, Michelle played a small role in a large production that is The Cadets, but her impact was larger than life. On rainy days when the grass was up to our knees, when we were exhausted, when we were hurting, Michelle was a role model to us. We could glance at her once and see her smile and it helped us realize that the day wasn’t really so bad. She helped keep us going and put the experience into perspective. The organization was lucky to have her on staff, and we, the members, were lucky to know her.

Sincerely,

Ryan Breslin

Trumpet 2008-2009