For what it's worth, Wells has got the program running like a well-oiled machine these days. Back when I was in school, I think people didn't really understand the number of fundamental problems in the PN-GISD fine arts program, spanning from top to bottom. Groves Middle School went through three band directors in three years from 2004 to 2007, and the band program over there was a fraction of the size of the Port Neches Middle School band program simply because of the constant change of leadership. That was reflected in the high school band numbers over the following four years.
The high school had similar problems at the time. There had been a total leadership change (as in both the director and assistant director left) about 2004, after which Wells was brought in as assistant band director. My freshman year, 2007, the band director over Wells unexpectedly left to sell insurance. The running explanation was that he wanted more time with his family, but the rumor was that he was mad at the PN-GISD administration over several issues I can no longer recall. If I recall correctly, he was back as a band director at another high school (Hardin-Jefferson, maybe?) a year later, so I'll leave y'all to decide which explanation is true. It was 2009 when the state had such a massive funding shortfall, and all of the district's extracurricular budgets were slashed, leaving the band without a percussion director. And I don't think I need to list all of the effects of Rita and Ike. All in all, it's a safe bet that the mid to late 2000s were the lowest point in PN-G band history.
The band is on much more solid foundation these days. There's consistency in the director positions, including the middle schools. Last I heard, the GMS band program is consistently larger than its sister program in Port Neches. The band is posting membership numbers on par with the 1970s and 1980s despite PN-G's student body being probably 30%-50% smaller than it was back then. We're consistently taking straight ones in both marching and concert competitions, and we're competing with Houston area bands despite having a fraction of the resources (some of these schools literally have Baby Grand pianos on the sidelines). We're putting people on the all-state band with 1990s-like consistency. When Harvey came through, the band was posting volunteers to go and clean out the homes of other band members that flooded in the storm. Considering where we were a decade ago, this is a minor miracle.
Meanwhile, I don't know what's going on in Nederland, but I've watched them march at Mid-County Madness two years running and they don't look like they did when I was in high school. Their old director retired, and it seems the program is suffering without him.
