Maricopa’s A+ Charter Schools drumline will help kick off NASCAR Championship Weekend as part of the pre-race entertainment for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 1. 

Students will first perform outside the stadium as fans arrive, playing in 15- to 20-minute blocks to set a high-energy tone for the day, said A+ band director Jerrod Williford. 

“We’ll perform in front of the entire stadium,” he said. 

The opportunity grew out of a spring outreach effort by race organizers, Williford said.  

“They were trying to get the community involved. I replied to an email. We had a community event; they brought a pace car and saw the drumline.” 

The appearance has been in the works since April, with focused preparation ramping up in July. The drumline is made up of 12 students, 10 of whom are new, stepping into roles left by recent graduates. 

“They’re so motivated,” Williford said. “They come in at 7:30 a.m., they take time out of school days, they come after school. They’re creating their own cadence.” 

The group’s performance is tailored to the venue. Williford and the drum captain “sit down and assess the event we’re doing,” he said. “We try to make the beat comparable to the event we’re performing at. They put their input in. We involve everyone. We’re a team. One band. One song.” 

That collaborative approach has carried into classrooms and campus life, he added. Students have taken on leadership roles — some serve as section managers, helping run rehearsals and support peers — and the program sets clear expectations off the field. 

“They have to do well in classes. This is a huge motivator to get their work done,” Williford said. 

When A+ Charter Schools administrators heard about the opportunity, they invested in the drumline. Students now have additional snares, quads, cymbals and flags, along with new uniforms and race-day tickets. 

“They love it,” Williford said. “They got us more instruments … they’re super, super excited.” 

Williford, a Detroit native who grew up playing drums in church and toured with gospel and R&B groups, said his path to the classroom was unconventional. Self-taught in reading and scoring music, he now uses the drumline to introduce students to the wider “business of music,” including audio engineering and artist management. 

“I want them to be great, but my philosophy is this: I want to create great memories,” he said. “If you become a musician, great. I teach you how to protect yourself … I’m showing these kids how to be a leader.” 

The students are “nervous but excited,” a balance Williford believes will elevate their performance.

“They’re not arrogant about it,” he said. “We’re stronger together. That’s our motto.”