Seniors Jagger Martin and Zed Glover are excited to enjoy the Ingram Tom Moore High School band hall, even though they have only a few months left to use the space. They are grateful for the opportunity to spend their remaining weeks there before they graduate in May.

“Finally,” Glover said, testing out the drum kit in the room designated for the jazz band.

The band hall’s debut, which took place on Wednesday, was the result of years of effort and planning. This project was made possible by the voters of the Ingram Independent School District, who approved a 2023 bond election that allocated over $25 million for improvements across the district’s campuses. The band hall is the first classroom space completed under this bond. In the coming months, Ingram Elementary School will introduce a new classroom wing, and a new science wing will also be built for the high school.

Ingram ISD Superintendent Robert Templeton addressed the students, staff, parents, and community members, including representatives from the West Kerr Chamber of Commerce. He emphasized that completing this project has been a long-awaited achievement.

“We’ve been wanting to do this for 10 years,” Templeton shared with the crowd at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We struggled with a lack of space, funding, and manpower, but it has truly been a team effort.”

For band director Samuel Bigott, who oversees the high school’s music programs, the opening of the band hall was fulfilling, but his primary focus was on the students, many of whom are in elementary or middle school.

“Look around this room; it’s all about them,” Bigott said, referring to the students. “This space is for them to honor their craft.”

The new facility is located next to the high school’s football stadium, providing the band with a short walk to a dedicated grandstand for game day performances.

“We need this,” said Martin, who served as the school’s drum major during marching season. “This is going to make us so much better.”

Not only does the band hall feature a large performance space with a tall ceiling to enhance the sound, but it also includes smaller practice and performance rooms surrounding the main area. Templeton announced that more equipment is on the way, and as of Wednesday afternoon, the space officially belongs to the high school, with classes starting on Thursday in the new hall.