After learning Middle Tennessee State University officials cancelled the country's longest running high school band competition in response to a White Lives Matter protest, Spring Hill High School decided to create their own competition.
"The first thought was what are we going to do to make it right and how can we fix it," said Band Director Aaron Evens.
Evens and his fellow director Elliott Whittstruck began making calls to other schools and band booster members.
"For most of the groups it's their last contest, last year, last performance," Evens said. "We just wanted to make sure they weren't robbed of that opportunity."
In just three days, Spring Hill High pulled together a replacement event, which will include ten bands originally scheduled to compete in the Contest of Champions.
The new event is called the Contest of Resilience.
"We're able to come together and show a sense of unity among all of the bands and not just Tennessee but around the country," said senior Laura DeCuir. "I feel very, very blessed to be able to do this. And not only that we're performing for a final time, but it's on home field. It's just very special."
The Contest of Resilience will take place at Spring Hill High School on Saturday at 5 p.m.
