Woodfin wants Birmingham to buy band uniforms for city's 7 high schools

More than a week after news broke that Mountain Brook High School donated its old band uniforms to a Birmingham high school, Mayor Randall Woodfin has made a commitment to support the bands at the city's seven high schools.

"Bottom line, our students deserve the best when it comes to equipment and band uniforms," the mayor said in a video posted to his official social media accounts on Monday afternoon. "That's why I am happy to support and make a recommendation to the Birmingham City Council that we, the city of Birmingham, purchase band uniforms on behalf of all seven high schools because our students deserve the best."

It's unclear at this time when the recommendation will be formally made to the city council, and how much the band uniforms may cost.

Mountain Brook and Woodlawn high schools share the same colors, green and gold, and all that had to be changed were patches on the uniforms. Woodlawn had been without proper band uniforms for years.

Rick Journey, director of communications for the Birmingham mayor's office, said Woodfin made the decision after having a conversation with Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Lisa Herring about the needs of individual high school bands.

In the video, Woodfin said he also supports bands because he played the drums in his school band from grades fourth through eighth.

Herring said the city's donation would enhance "ongoing efforts of the district to provide support to its fine arts program.

"This is great news for us because we know that for many of our students, band is the gateway to college, and college is the gateway to a solid start in life," Herring said in a statement. "In addition, we know that band helps to cultivate leadership, collaboration and pride, all skills that contribute to success in life."

Birmingham City Schools' students earned $2.75 million in band scholarships last school year, according to the school system.

Birmingham Board of Education President Cheri Gardner issued this statement: "We are excited that the mayor is continuing to champion causes that impact student success. We hope that the council will embrace the proposal and support the mayor's vision to invest in our students."

Mountain Brook band director Jason Smith told AL.com in a previous story that he began looking at what to do with the high school's old band uniforms last fall. The decision to donate to Woodlawn was made after he was contacted by Woodlawn's auxiliary sponsor Marie Smith.

Smith took the uniforms to Lori Higginbotham, who owns Magic Stitches Embroidery in Birmingham. Together, the women designed patches for the school.

Higginbotham told AL.com that a customer of hers donated the money for the patches, $2,100, after seeing the uniforms displayed in her shop. Another one of Higginbotham's customers who heard about the uniforms donated dark green hand towels to the band. Higginbotham embroidered the towels for free.

Updated at 6 p.m. with statements from Birmingham City Schools.

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