Born in Alabaster in 1962, Kevin Snowden was the first son of Halsa Mathis Snowden and Tommy Snowden. Sister Lisa Noah is older by only 18 months.

After his parents divorced when Snowden was in the third grade he lived with Mom for the rest of that school year then with Dad Tommy.

In the eighth through 12th grade, he was in Thompson schools and became well known in his own right as one of the top trumpet players around. All County, Honor Band and soloist at Thompson High School, Snowden went to Jacksonville State on a music scholarship where he obtained many honors in the trumpet section and as a soloist. Snowden was a member of the prestigious Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corp in Madison, and won two individual world championships.

Late to join Boy Scout Troop 20, Snowden and his scoutmasters Steve Jones, Charlie Hubbard, Don Hurt and Bob Miller set a fast-paced schedule that had Snowden obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout the day before his 18th birthday.

After college graduation, Snowden’s first job was with Anniston City Schools but Alabaster was home, and everyone knew of his desire to be band director at Thompson. That opportunity arrived the next year.

From the fall of 1988 until 1994 Snowden was head band director at Thompson Middle School and assistant director at Thompson High School. In 1994 he put all his time into the middle school band. Snowden remarked, “Middle school is such an emotional time. I love that age group, and wanted to be a friend, a counselor, an extra ear for whatever they needed. I felt a kinship with some of their problems.”

Snowden still loves his trumpet and plays at weddings, concerts, funerals and church gatherings.

In November 2000 an administrative opportunity in the transportation department of the Shelby County Board of Education became available. As a route supervisor, Snowden supervises 326 buses and 382 bus routes.

He and wife Pam, a clarinet player he stole from his roommate at Jacksonville State, have daughters Jerica, age 8, and Callie, age 5. He prays they will be happy and successful in whatever they choose to do.

One of his biggest pet peeves is the lack of common courtesy in our world today. “Respect is so important and not just in the teacher /parent/student situation…but the whole world.”

Columnist Sandra Thames can be reached by e–mail at bobthames1942@yahoo.com.