Meet the WCHS Band Staff

Craig Everett - Director of Bands 

Mr. Everett has been band director at West Carteret High School since January, 1995.  He is currently in his twenty-fifth year of teaching.  He is a past president of the Eastern District Bandmasters Association and also serves as the North Carolina All-State Honors Band Chairman.  In 1997, Mr. Everett was awarded the Award of Excellence by the North Carolina State Bandmaster's Association, and in 1999 he was inducted into the American School Band Directors Association.  He also received the Edith Stahl Kraft Outstanding Teacher Award for Carteret County Schools in 1999.  In December 2000, Mr. Everett adjudicated the Fiesta Bowl National Band Championships in Tempe, Arizona and also continues to judge extensively in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia in both concert band festivals and marching band competitions. He is a two-time Time Warner Star Teacher winner in 2003 and 2005.

Andrew Wright - Associate Director, Percussion Specialist, Lead Marching Band and Jazz Band Director

Mr. Wright graduated from East Carolina University with an undergraduate degree in Music Education.  He received his Masters of Music in percussion performance at Northwestern University.  Mr. Wright is also an alumnus of Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps from Charlotte, NC.  He is currently in his sixth year as a full time teacher at West Carteret High School. Under Mr. Wright's direction, the drum line and percussion ensemble are active in various Percussive Arts Society and Winter Guard International events both regionally and nationally.  He serves as head marching band director and teaches the two school jazz ensembles.  In his spare time he books for and performs with his Latin steel drum band, Panyélo.  Mr. Wright is an Innovative Percussion educator and endorses all of their products.

Donald "Goober" Johnson - ColorGuard Coordinator

Goober has a longer relationship with the West Carteret band program than any other staff member or director.  His tenure with the Marching Patriots began more than 15 years ago.  During this time he has built the colorguard program into a consistent award winner.  His colorguard teaching background spans over twenty years.  He also instructed the Rocky Mount Senior High marching band, winning three national championships at Bands of America in the early 1980's.  He is currently the Student Activities Coordinator and Media Center Assistant at West Carteret High School.

Jason Johnson - Drill Designer, ColorGuard Choreographer/Designer

Jason is a graduate of Western Carolina University, where he received a Bachelor's Degree in English. He is a graduate assistant at East Carolina University where he is working on a master's degree. He was previously employed as an English teacher at West Carteret High School. His color guard experience includes Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps from Charlotte, North Carolina and Infiniti Winter Guard from Greenville, South Carolina. Jason has taught many high school color guards including James F. Byrnes HS, East Lincoln HS, Central Cabarrus HS, Bassett HS, and Concord HS. He  served on the Board of Directors for the Carolina Indoor Performance Association from 1994-2001, and as the Circuit Director for the same organization in 1999 and 2000. Jason has also served as a judge for both marching and winter guard competitions. He is now currently training for the Winter Guard International. This was the first season that Jason has designed and written the drill for West Carteret.

David Stroud - Music Coordinator

David Fye - Percussion

Dave is a recent graduate of East Carolina University where he majored in Music Education.  In addition to being Band Director at Morehead Middle School, Mr. Fye directs the Jazz Bands, and percussion ensembles at each school. 

Mr. Fye's teaching experience includes instructing several high school drumlines in the southeast and student teaching at West Craven High School and West Craven Middle School. He has also worked as Assistant Band Director at Newport Middle School. This is first year as Head Band Director at Morehead Middle School where he teaches more than 200 students each day.

Frank Sullivan-Music Arranger

Frank Sullivan was a member of the Star of Indiana organization from 1991 to 1993 and both a member and instructor with Star of Indiana’s Brass Theater from 1994 to 1997. In 1998 he joined The Cadets’ on Brass Staff, eventually assuming the Brass Caption Head role there in 1999. From 2001 to 2004 Sullivan toured with the Blast! serving as a performing soloist, the music manager, and the artistic supervisor. In 2004 he arranged the program for Boston Crusaders. Since then he’s been hard at work creating Inspire Music and Entertainment Productions, an arranging company based in Tampa Bay, Florida.

Brandon Hults-Visual and Musical Technician

Brandon graduated from West Carteret High School in 2003.  Since that time he has been pursuing his bachelors degree in Music Education from East Carolina University where he is currently in his junior year of study.  Brandon marched drumcorps with the Boston Crusaders during the 2004 seasons where he gained a wealth of knowledge in the marching arts activity.  After graduation Brandon plans on pursuing his masters and doctoral degrees in conducting. 

Emily Styron-Colorguard Technician

Emily graduated from West Carteret High School in 2002.  Since that time she has been pursuing her bachelors degree in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Emily has performed with several winterguards including The Study and First Flight both out of Raleigh, North Carolina.  After graduation Emily plans on teaching kindergarten.

Steven Hughes-Visual Technician

Steven graduated from West Carteret High School in 2005.  Since that time he has been pursuing his bachelors degree from East Carolina University. In the fall of 2005, Steven was a member of the East Carolina University Marching Pirates.