Pictured is Debra Price, director of the Paden City High School marching band. Price was inducted into the West Virginia Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame on Oct. 19.

The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History (WVDACH) inducted five new members into the West Virginia Marching Band Directors Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 19.

The inductions took place throughout the eighth annual West Virginia Marching Band Invitational at the University of Charleston Stadium, Laidley Field in Charleston.

Honorees included Debra Price, director of the Paden City High School marching band.

Debra Price is a 1989 graduate of McDowell High School in Erie, Pennsylvania. She graduated from West Virginia University with a B.A. in music education.

She began her career at Wheeling Park High School in 1993-94 and then went to Paden City High School in 1994-1997.

Price then took 17 years off from teaching to raise her three children.

She returned to teaching at Paden City High School in 2014, where she continues to lead one of the states finest small school bands.

During the competition on Saturday, Paden City High School earned several first place awards including Guard, Percussion, Field Commanders, and Soloist. The band also was the Class D 1st place band. The competition also included Division awards where the Wildcats earned 1st place General Effect and Blue Division State Runner-Up. Paden City was the smallest school by enrollment in the field of 38 competing bands yet proudly represented the heritage of “The Biggest Little Band in the Land.”