Over the summer, Jason Rekittke, Kirkwood band director of more than 20 years, resigned in response to accusations of inappropriate conduct with a student. As a drum major, musician and student of Rekittke, I reflect on Rekittke and his impact on the band and myself.

It’s nearly impossible to find somebody from KHS whose life didn’t cross with Jason Rekittke in some way, big or small. Most of us have heard his voice coming from the press box at a Friday night football game as he announced the band at halftime. Others may remember him visiting when we were in elementary school and encouraging us to join the Kirkwood band. Maybe we had a sibling who was one of Rekittke’s students, or we were one of his students ourselves.

My life didn’t just cross with Rekittke’s, or as I knew him, JR. He pushed my life on to a new course. Soon, I’ll have to decide on a college to attend and pick a major I’d like to pursue, and because of JR and the other band teachers in the KSD, I have been inspired to study music education.

Somewhere in his career of more than 20 years with the band, JR apparently made a poor decision and has stepped down from his job because of it. Although I don’t know the exact nature of the incident, I do know that along with this mistake, JR did a lot of good in those two decades.

He turned the band into something people are proud to be a part of. He pushed students to not only become better musicians, but better people. He taught them how to be leaders, how to have passion for their craft and how to put the group before themselves.

And while teaching all these things, JR managed to be more than just another teacher. He was an honest-to-goodness friend. After my grandfather passed away, JR managed to find time in the midst of directing 200 students to approach me in private, ask if I was doing OK and give me a hug. I didn’t tell him about the loss, and I don’t know how he found out, but he cared.

When I finished playing my solo at the state-level Solo and Ensemble Festival in Columbia, right before I had to run back to St. Louis for prom, he walked up and told me he was proud of the “good kid” I had become. I still don’t think he knows how much he helped me become that “good kid.”

And it wasn’t just me. He did this with hundreds of kids every year. He was an instructor for students in elementary, middle and high school. He directed the marching band, the wind ensemble, the musical pit orchestra, the beginning trumpet class and dozens of trios, quartets, quintets and sextets. And he managed to show every one of his students he cared about them. He bonded with every one.

Yes, JR may have made a poor decision. But that poor decision should not define who he is as a person and should not overshadow decades of dedication and hard work. I will always be grateful to JR and I hope other returning band members will be grateful as well. I encourage them to reflect on all of the good things he did for the band and for them.

And now as the school year starts, life at KHS won’t be quite the same. There will be a new voice announcing halftime at Friday night football games. The elementary schoolers will have a different director encouraging them to join the Kirkwood band. I completely support Mr. Melsha, Mrs. Wiley, Mrs. Friesen and Ms. Mefford in leading the band, and I am truly excited to be a part of what I believe will be the best band yet, but I would be lying if I said I won’t miss JR.

“The End” was the last song collectively recorded by the Beatles. It will be the closer to this year’s halftime show, and was the last song JR handed out to the band. For Beatles fans, this song represents the end of a musical era for a rock group. For me, this song fittingly represents the end of a musical era for an amazing teacher, an incredible person and someone I’m fortunate to have become friends with.