The sound of drums filled the halls of Jerling Junior High School on May 28 as the Jerling “G-Force” Drumline helped send off the graduating eighth-grade class during the school’s annual “8th Grade Clap-Out.”
Students and staff packed the hallways and gathered outside while the drumline performed throughout the celebration. The steady beats and high-energy cadences followed the eighth graders as they left for their annual field trip to Six Flags Great America.
Standing nearby and directing the performance was Khara Gihan, founder and director of the Jerling “G-Force” Drumline. As another group of student musicians prepared to move on to high school, the moment felt both exciting and emotional.
“It’s always bittersweet seeing the eighth graders leave,” Gihan said. “They’ll always be part of the G-Force family.”
Gihan started the drumline in 2021 after joining Jerling as choir director, general music teacher and track coach. To her knowledge, it became the first drumline program in District 135.
The idea came naturally to her.
Before arriving at Jerling, Gihan worked as a junior high band director and drumline director in another district, where she also created a drumline program for fourth- and fifth-grade students. Earlier in her career, she became the first female drum major at Elizabeth City State University, a historically Black university in North Carolina.
Over the years, she realized building drumline programs was something she genuinely loved.
“I found that I have a passion and knack for starting drumlines and other unique ensembles,” Gihan said.
When she interviewed at Jerling, she mentioned wanting to create a drumline if given the opportunity. School administrators and families quickly got behind the idea, and the program grew faster than expected.
“The program has taken off ever since,” she said.
The name “G-Force” also carries personal meaning. The “G” represents Gihan’s last name, while “Force” reflects the energy and unity of the group. The name also hints at the impact the students make every time they perform.
What started as a small group has grown into one of the school’s most recognizable programs. Membership now sits around 27 students, though numbers usually range between 16 and 27 each year. The group is open to students in grades six through eight, with auditions held every fall.
Gihan admitted she originally planned to keep the group smaller, but student interest kept growing.
“The popularity keeps expanding,” she said with a laugh.
The drumline season typically runs from January through the end of the school year, but this year brought several major milestones.
The group performed during District 135’s Institute Day in August, kicking off its season earlier than usual. Students also traveled outside the district for performances at professional sporting events for the first time in program history.
In February, the drumline performed during a Windy City Bulls basketball game in Hoffman Estates. In March, the students traveled to Bloomington to play during a Bloomington Bison hockey game.
Those performances gave students a chance to showcase their talents in front of much larger crowds.
Community support helped make those opportunities possible.
Gihan credited District 135 administrators, Music Parents East and the students’ families for supporting the program from the beginning. She also thanked the Carl Sandburg High School band and drumline directors, who donated equipment during the group’s early years while Jerling waited on delayed shipments caused by COVID-19 supply chain issues.
While the performances are exciting, Gihan said the most meaningful part of the program is watching students grow.
“The teamwork, the growth in character, musicianship, discipline and integrity, all while having fun and putting on great shows, that’s why I do this,” she said.
Former members often return to help younger students, something Gihan said means a lot to her and speaks to the close bond the group has created.
Looking ahead, she hopes to eventually open a performing arts center where students from any school district could take part in unique music programs and performance opportunities.
Until then, the sounds of the Jerling “G-Force” Drumline will continue echoing through school hallways, basketball courts and arenas, bringing energy and pride everywhere the students perform.
