By MJ Johnson
Olivia Adamietz grew up with color guard. Her dad, Todd Adamietz, has been teaching color guard for over 40 years, and it was never a question on whether she would be involved with the activity. She had been going to practices since she was four years old, and when she finally reached 8th grade at E.D. White, he was her instructor.
“Being on the team my dad was coaching did have its challenges, but it was an amazing experience being able to learn from him,” Olivia says. “At practice and at home, it created a really special relationship, and we are really close.”
Olivia spent 5 years in high school learning from her dad as a student and once she graduated, she was able to work with him as his assistant coach and continue learning from him as an instructor.
“He decided in 2022 he was ready to step aside,” Olivia states. “It was a little upsetting for me, but he was ready to hand it over to me. He still helps out behind the scenes, though.”
In 2023, E.D. White High School made finals, placing 5th with their program Happy Little Bluebirds. Set to the song Somewhere over the Rainbow. The performers embodied bluebirds during the program. “We weren’t sure how the season was going to go going into the first show,” Oliva shares. “But the judges thought we could make finals and we were like, ‘excuse me what?’”
When they finally made it to Dayton, they ranked 6th going into finals. “We had never made it past semis before. It was a surreal feeling,” Olivia says. “Something you’ve worked toward for so many years, finally coming true. My dad was there with me and that was a really special moment. It really was his years of hard work combined with my years of hard work that got us where we are. Without his training, this guard wouldn’t be where it is today. It was a very emotional and special moment. Just walking into UD and feeling all these emotions we never got to feel before. It was truly amazing.”
Now in open class, E.D. White’s 2025 program was titled Let them Eat Cake. This program showcased Marie Antoinette’s life and her love of the finer things. Set to a cover of Everybody Wants to Rule the World with some hints of Ode to Joy and other classical pieces, the students portrayed Marie Antoinette. There were cakes all around on the floor and the props set the scene at the Palace of Versailles.
“Being in a new class brings a lot of different challenges to us,” Olivia states. “We’ve had to push these students harder than they’ve ever been pushed.” Additionally, E.D. White was affected by a hurricane in Louisiana in September, damaging their practice gym. “We don’t have bleachers, we don’t have a floor, so we’ve been practicing on concrete, at floor level,” Olivia shares. “We don’t get to see the show from up top until we go to a competition and that has been a challenge for us. We are trying to adapt and figure out new ways to make the show come to life and the students have handled it really well.”
When asked about a memorable moment of the performance, Olivia shares a moment towards the end where the soundtrack features Marie Antoinette’s famous laugh.
“One of the performers comes out and has a cupcake in one hand. She eats the cupcake and really brings the character to life. Once you see it you will remember it. She does so great and the audience loves it.”
Looking forward, Olivia hopes to continue competing with E.D. White in Scholastic Open class. “I want to keep pushing the students. I feel like they can handle everything I throw at them,” Olivia shares. “We’re hoping to ride this year’s momentum and show up again next year in open class and make a name for ourselves. There aren’t any Open class groups in our circuit so there’s no one for us to look to as an example. So we’re trying to set an example for our circuit too.”
“My dad started this legacy,” Olivia reflects. “He spearheaded this program and he’s the reason we’ve gotten where we are. He has been such an inspiration not only to me but to all his students. The kids look up to him and love when he comes to practice. He truly is a person the whole circuit looks up to.”
About the Author:
Madison Johnson graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a BA in English Language and Digital Technologies with a concentration in Technical Writing. She currently works as a copywriter for a Software as a Service company in Charlotte, NC. She was a member of Étude Winter guard for five years from 2015-2019.
