By CHARLENE PAUL
Moapa Valley Progress
“For the final time, Moapa Valley High School (MVHS) band director Kim Delgadillo took the stage at the Ron Dalley Theatre and ended one of the greatest eras of musical performance ever known in the state of Nevada.”
That was the lead to an article written for the Progress by Jonathan Oglesby back on May 13, 2009. It was just after Delgadillo announced her retirement from the MVHS band program.
After her retirement from leader of the band, Delgadillo went over to Mack Lyon Middle School (LMS) where she worked for a time as school counselor.
But as the old saying goes, “You can take the director out of the band, but you can’t take the band out of the director” … or something like that.
In the fall of 2010, Delgadillo was back at the helm of the MVHS Pirate band program. Since then, it seemed she would be a permanent fixture at the school. But all good things must come to an end, and this time it truly is the end of an era. Delgadillo has retired from the position of MVHS Band Director effective the end of this school year; and this time it’s for good.
Delgadillo hales from Chautauqua County, New York. After college graduation, she spent half a year as a long-term sub in New York; one and a half years teaching in Houston, Texas; two years teaching in Mexico and one year earning her Master’s degree.
While in Mexico, a friend of Delgadillo’s had come to Overton to teach. Her friend told her about an opening at MVHSl and suggested she apply. Then-principal Gary Cameron and Assistant Principal Vee Wilson interviewed her and explained that the community was committed to building a strong band program.
“It was the perfect time to get the job,” Delgadillo said. “It would take time to build the program, but with the hard work and dedication of so many of the students, we were able to build it into something to be proud of.”
Under Delgadillo’s direction, members of the band, orchestra and Jazz band have been able to participate in many exciting extracurricular activities.
“Representing the State of Nevada in 1994 while performing on the President’s lawn in Washington DC was a definite highlight,” Delgadillo said. “Trips to Disneyworld, Hawaii and cruises were some of the most fun times.”
From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, it wasn’t uncommon for half of the MVHS student body to be involved in band and orchestra. At one Homecoming parade, an onlooker who wasn’t a member of the Moapa Valley community voiced his objection to someone in the band wearing a football jersey.
“Why would they allow a band geek to wear a football jersey?” he asked.
The parent of the boy in question turned around and replied, “Because that band geek is one of the linebackers.”
At home games, it wasn’t uncommon to see members of the football team marching with the band at half-time still wearing their jerseys.
Some of the highlights of Delgadillo’s celebrated career are being part of the high school musicals.
“We did “Man of LaMancha,” “Music Man” and “Fiddler on the Roof,” Delgadillo said. “Those involved the choir, band and orchestra. They were a lot of work.”
And the whole band always travelled to state championship games. “It wasn’t about being in the band or on the team,” Delgadillo said. “It was about the school.”
Always mindful of her students, Delgadillo knew there were some who had a difficult time affording instruments of their own. When the technology investment firm Vista Equity chose to help these students by holding an essay contest where the winners would be awarded their own instruments, she was thrilled.
“It was wonderful to know that these 20 students would now have their own instruments,” she said.
In addition to her band duties, Delgadillo worked for a time as the head coach for girls’ softball. As a high school student, she participated in volleyball, basketball and softball all three years.
As her 35-year teaching career; 28 of which have been spent in Moapa Valley; draws to a close, Delgadillo admits that it is difficult to say goodbye to it. But she doesn’t plan on leaving the community.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Delgadillo said. “I love Moapa Valley. It has been my pleasure to work in such a wonderful school and community.”
Her plans for the future are to lay low and spend more time with her husband and grown children. Most importantly she wants to spend time being a grandma to her three beautiful granddaughters.
With her final retirement, an era at MVHS comes to a close.
