Jen Barton (Rouse HS)

Sketchbook with Daniel Montoya Jr.

It was Thursday, under the sign of Leo. The US president was Ronald Reagan, the actor! And no, the Vice President wasn’t Jerry Lewis. In that special week of August people were listening to Endless Love by Diana Ross & Lionel Ritchie and watching The Cannonball Run at the local picture house. And in the sleepy little town of Indianapolis, IN (the Crossroad of America), Jennifer Nicole Barton was born into this world on August 20, 1981. Jen Barton is currently the color guard director at Rouse HS in Leander, TX. Previously she was the color guard director at James F. Byrnes HS in South Carolina managing a consistent program of 80+ students both logistically and creatively. While under her direction, the Byrnes Guard program was a 5-time WGI World Championships Finalist and multiple WGI Regional Finalist and Regional Champion. She has worked with numerous programs throughout her career, including multiple scholastic guard programs, The Cast and Etude Independent winter guards, Pacific Crest (2011-2013, 2016-present), and Spirit of Atlanta (2014-2015). As a performer, Jen has appeared with the Santa Clara Vanguard and Northeast Independent Winter Guard (Florida). She has also performed with the Florida State University Marching Chiefs, ad astra per ASPERA Winter Guard (GA), and CrownGUARD (GA). Jen attended Center Grove HS in Greenwood, IN where she was a part of the Bands of America Grand National Champion marching band in 1995, and she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education from The Florida State University in 2004. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sketchbookpodcast/support