Carroll Dragon Bands Earn Prestigious UIL Sweepstakes Award

The Carroll Dragon Band program has once again demonstrated musical excellence, earning top honors at this year’s UIL Concert & Sight Reading Evaluation. The Varsity Wind Symphony and Symphonic Winds Green, under the direction of Ken Johnson, and the Wind Ensemble, directed by Philip Jones, delivered outstanding performances across two days of competition.

The Varsity Band received Straight 1s (Superior Ratings) in both the Concert and Sight Reading portions of the evaluation. Combined with their First Division Marching Rating from the fall, our ensembles secured the coveted UIL Sweepstakes Award—an honor reserved for bands that achieve the highest possible ratings across all three performance categories.

“We are incredibly proud of all our students for the dedication and musical growth they’ve shown this year,” said Ken Johnson. “The Sweepstakes Award is a reflection of their hard work, our outstanding team of directors and private staff, and the strong support of our school and community. This year’s music selections were some of the most difficult we’ve performed, and our students rose to meet that challenge with professionalism and passion.”

Earning a UIL Sweepstakes Award is considered one of the highest achievements in Texas music education. Carroll’s continued success is a testament to the high standards, teamwork, and tradition of excellence that define the Dragon Band program.

Congratulations to all the students, directors, and supporters who made this accomplishment possible!