Jzi Taylor is the second winner of the PAISOC DCI Scholarship. Jzi Taylor is a high school student in Georgia who will be marching in the contra line with the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps this summer. In addition to being involved in his high school marching band, Jzi is also active with ROTC and The Boy Scouts of America and one day hopes to pursue a career as an aerospace engineer. We asked Jzi a couple questions about his involvement in DCI.
When did you first get involved with DCI?
I first got involved with DCI after my band director showed my class a clip of a DCI performance which opened my eyes to the world of DCI. My drum major was also really into drum corps and would talk about it with me, which initiated my online search for drum corps videos.
How will this scholarship help you pursue your goal of marching in 2018?
Before I started auditioning, the financial aspect of it was a significant concern. I sought money as many ways as I could, with huge support from my family, because a little goes a long way. This scholarship will help me because it makes the money one less thing I have worry [about]. Now I can focus on practicing and making the best of my drum corps experience.
Why did you choose to march with Spirit of Atlanta?
I chose to march with Spirit of Atlanta because they were really close, and very well known with my community. They frequently practiced at my high school and had a great reputation, one that would gain me a lot of support from friends, family, and teachers. I wanted to take my high school marching experience to the next level, and I knew Spirit of Atlanta would give me the challenge I so desired. In the beginning, the fact that Spirit of Atlanta is a world class drum corps scared me, but after a lot of practice and several auditions, I was contracted to the Contra line.
PAISOC is excited to follow Jzi as he travels with Spirit of Atlanta and beyond! We are sure that he will make an excellent addition to the contra line and wish him all the best and look forward to seeing him at a competition in the future.