For the second year in a row, the Newtown High School Marching Band & Guard received the prestigious Cadets Award of Excellence at the USBands New England Championship, held Saturday, October 25, at Veterans Memorial Stadium in New Britain.

Awarded to the school that is determined to be the best in show for creativity and showmanship, the Cadets Award of Excellence can be given to any competing band, regardless of size or class level.

The NHS Color Guard was also named the Best Guard in New England, Class V, besting four others, including perennial powerhouse Dartmouth High School, who won the New England Championship title. Newtown came within just 1.3 points of Dartmouth, who has won the national title for five out of the past six years.

Band Director Kurt Eckhardt was thrilled with the band and guard’s performance at the event and expressed the band’s eagerness for the next three week’s of competition.

Newtown and Dartmouth will meet at both the Preview of Champions at Cheshire on November 8, and the National Championships held at MetLife Stadium in Rutherford, N.J., on November 15.

This coming weekend, the more than 100 musicians and 25 color guard members will travel to Annapolis, Md., for the Northeast Edition of The Marching Music Series presented by Music in Motion. This double performance show includes a preliminary competition between more than 30 of the best bands in the Northeast, with the top 15 bands advancing to the finals.