ACHS Marching Titans Earn Five Straight Superior Ratings!
Alexandria's hometown band closes its 2026 marching season with top marks from every judge at Virginia's state marching assessment
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Sometimes the sweetest sound a marching band can make isn’t a trumpet blast, a drumroll, or a perfectly played note. Sometimes it’s the sound of an entire band erupting in cheers.
That was the scene when Alexandria City High School’s Marching Titans learned they had earned a Superior rating from every judge at the 2026 Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA) State Marching Assessment.
Five judges. Five top ratings. One very happy band.
The announcement, captured in a Facebook video shared online, brought an enthusiastic reaction from the student musicians whose months of rehearsals, performances, and competitions had led to this moment.
The VBODA State Marching Assessment is an annual evaluation in which high school marching bands across Virginia demonstrate their musical and marching abilities. Judges use a five-level rating system, with a rating of I, or Superior, representing the highest level of achievement.
The Marching Titans received straight I’s across all five evaluations, earning an overall Superior rating at their final judged assessment of the season.
“This year, the Marching Titans scored a perfect score with ‘1’s’ in all five categories!” the ACHS Titan Band Boosters reported in a statement to The Zebra.
The Boosters praised the school’s “very proud and hardworking Alexandria City High School band student musicians” and celebrated the accomplishment as a reflection of the students’ dedication throughout the season.
The good news came home to ACHS Band Director Doug Rogers and the band’s 2026 drum majors, Zoe Foster and Josephine Cunningham, who posed proudly with the official rating sheet.
Rogers directs the school’s concert, jazz, and marching band programs. According to the ACHS Band website, the school’s music program has earned Virginia Honor Band recognition six times, including in 2026. That distinction recognizes programs that earn Superior ratings in both the fall marching and spring concert assessments.
Beyond the competition field, the Marching Titans are a familiar part of Alexandria life, bringing music and school spirit to football games, parades, pep rallies, and community celebrations.
The Band Boosters say the musicians are “very grateful and proud to represent the arts and culture vibes” of Alexandria, the city they call home.
And judging by the cheers when those ratings were announced, the students had plenty of reason to celebrate.
