A Breakthrough Season for Coral Springs Charter’s Marching Band

Some achievements don’t arrive all at once. They take shape quietly, season after season, until one moment finally breaks through.

 

That’s what happened this fall for the Marching Panthers at Coral Springs Charter School, who closed out 2025 by qualifying for state finals and earning a silver medal at the Florida Marching Band Championships - a first in the program’s history.

 

For a growing band without decades of competitive pedigree, the result marked more than a strong finish. It marked a turning point.

 

A Program Built Over Time

 

The Panthers’ success didn’t appear overnight. Under band director David Cardona, who has been with the school for seven years and leading the program for the last five, the band has followed a steady, upward path.

 

The group entered the Florida Marching Band Championships circuit four years ago, finishing 12th in its first season. The following year brought a 10th-place finish. Then came sixth - just one spot shy of qualifying for finals.

 

That near miss lingered. According to Cardona, students returned the next season already focused, aware of how close they had come and determined to push further.

 

The Moment Everything Clicked

 

That push defined the 2025 season.

 

The band’s production, “The Hive,” used the structure and rhythm of a bee’s life as its creative backbone. Classical themes were blended with music from The Jets and Beyoncé, building toward a finale that revealed a senior performer as the Queen Bee.

 

The concept - once a long-running joke among staff - resonated on the field.

 

At the semifinals on Nov. 8, the 44-member ensemble scored high enough across all five judging captions - music, visual, general effect, color guard, and percussion - to advance to finals for the first time.

 

That same evening, they returned to the field at Florida International University’s stadium for the championship performance, finishing second statewide in the 1A division.

 

A Milestone With Meaning

 

For the seniors, the moment carried particular weight.

 

Many had spent their entire high school careers building toward a finals appearance that always seemed just beyond reach. Breaking through during their final season made the achievement both emotional and affirming.

 

Cardona credits not only the students, but the culture surrounding the program. As a smaller band, the Panthers don’t lean on legacy or reputation. Progress has come through discipline, consistency, and incremental improvement - not shortcuts.

 

Looking Ahead, Not Looking Back

 

With the program’s first state medal now part of its history, attention has already shifted forward.

 

The next marching season will begin in the summer with band camp, followed by rehearsals, football games, and competitions stretching into the fall. Expectations are different now, shaped by what the students have already proven they can achieve.

 

This season wasn’t an endpoint.

 

It was a signal - that sustained effort can quietly reshape what’s possible, and that something durable is being built, one performance at a time.

 

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This story is part of The Bright Side, which is an ongoing series from Coral Springs Insider that highlights positive developments and community moments around Coral Springs.