Arsenal Tech band program helps students form friendships and go to college

Sign up for Chalkbeat Indiana’s free daily newsletter to keep up with Indianapolis Public Schools, Marion County’s township districts, and statewide education news.Joshua Camero stumbled upon the trumpet in fifth grade. He had to choose an elective class, and although he was unsure about performing in front of people, his mother encouraged him to sign up for band. “I started playing it, and I just really liked it,” he said. “I was quick to pick it up.”By his junior year of high school, he would be among the few students at his school to qualify for the Indiana State School Music Association’s state competition. By his senior year, he would earn two gold ratings in the contest for solo trumpet performance. Camero plans to earn a degree in music industry at the University of Indianapolis with financial aid he earned in part through his trumpet skills. He hopes to focus on artist management, while also “keeping the music very close.” This week, Camero is among roughly 1,200 Indianapolis P