Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps happily introduces its 2022 color guard staff. Led by caption heads Clayton Benoit and Nicole Frederick, the color guard instructional staff includes a collection of familiar faces as well as new additions. The entire color guard staff is excited to build on the success of previous seasons with new ideas and creative performance opportunities.
Clayton Benoit
Co-Caption Head
After beginning his performing career at E. D. White Catholic High School in Thibodaux, Louisiana, Clayton then continued performing with The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Lake Area Independent Winterguard. Clayton’s teaching career started in 2008 and has included working and choreographing for schools and programs such as E. D.White Catholic High School, Acadiana High School, Acadiana Independent Winterguard, Ouachita High School, West Ouachita High School, Lafayette High School, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, West Monroe High School, Erath High School, Sterlington High School, Elite Percussion, Jordan High School, and Lake Area Independent. Under his direction, Clayton’s various groups have been given titles such as WGI Regional and Power Regional finalists, LMCGPC medalists, BOA Grand National Finalists, and DCI Open Class finalist. Clayton served as secretary on the Board of Directors for the LMCGPC for 6 consecutive terms. Currently residing in Fulshear, Tx, Clayton is a freelance judge and choreographer and an instructor for the Jordan High School Band and Guard. This is Clayton’s fourth year at Stars and his first year as Caption Head. He’s excited to see what 2022 has in store!
Nicole Frederick
Co-Caption Head
Nicole began her color guard career at Erath High School in Erath, Louisiana. Outside of high school, she continued her performing career with Music City Drum & Bugle Corps, L’Acadians Winter Guard, Lake Area Independent Winter Guard and Acadiana Independent Winter Guard. Her teaching career began in 2013 and includes designing and choreographing for various programs including St. Thomas More High School, Erath High School, Acadiana High School, Acadiana Independent Winter Guard and Louisiana Stars Drum & Bugle Corps.
Nicole graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a major in Elementary Education. She is currently a first-grade teacher, color guard director at Erath High School, and a freelance color guard judge who lives in Lafayette, Louisiana. This is Nicole’s fifth year working with Louisiana Stars and her second year serving as Color Guard Co-Caption Head. She is very excited to be back with Louisiana Stars and can’t wait to see what the upcoming summer has in store!
Jace McMullin
Technician and Choreographer
Jace McMullin is a graduate of Mississippi State University where he received a Bachelors in Music Education, the University of Southern Mississippi where he received a Masters in Music Education, and Texas A&M University where he received a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. In 2011 Jace became Assistant Band Director and Color Guard Instructor at Warren Central High School in Vicksburg, Mississippi where he had a very successful guard program. In March 2018, Jace was named the Head Band Director at Warren Central High School.
At Warren Central High School, Jace has taken in winter guards to compete in many different circuits including the Mississippi Indoor Association, Louisiana Mississippi Color Guard and Percussion Circuit, and Winter Guard International. His guards have finished in the top three multiple times at different WGI regionals, and have been medalists in the Mississippi Indoor Association.
During the summer of 2017 Jace served as the color guard instructor for the Mississippi All State Lions Band. The group traveled to Chicago, Illinois and won its thirty-third international championship during the 2017 International Lions Parade.
Jace’s performance experience and love for the color guard started with Statement Independent Winter Guard in 2009 where he was a part of the first place Independent A Class group. He also marching he age out year in 2010 with Statement where they went on to be the Independent Open class Champions. Most recently, he was a member of Conversion, an independent world group based out of Jackson, MS.
Jace currently lives in Clinton, Mississippi. This will be his third year on staff with the Louisiana Stars, and he is very excited to see what is in store during the 2022 season.
Joshua Curole
Technician and Choreographer
Joshua began his color guard career at Terrebonne High School in Houma, Louisiana. During this time he began marching VooDoo Independent Winterguard for multiple years, and even competed in WGI Independent A class semi-finals. After high school he started marching Drum Corps at the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps for the 2017 and 2018 season. For the 2019 season Joshua decided to march the Boston Crusaders who won the George Zingali award for best color guard at DCI World Championships.
For his teaching career, he helped take over Terrebonne High School, starting their winter guard program and quickly becoming LMCGPC champions. Joshua has worked at multiple programs across the southern United States including Central Lafourche High School, James E. Taylor High School, Petal High School, Pineville High School, and Jordan High School. He now resides in The Woodlands, TX, where he works at The Woodlands College Park High School and Klein Oak High School who are both in the Scholastic Open class and BOA Regional Finalists. This will be his first year on staff with the Louisiana Stars color guard and he is excited to move from performing to educating the next generation of DCI performers.
PJ Trichel
Technician and Choreographer
PJ is from Bossier City, LA. He currently resides in Katy, TX and is a Elementary Special Education teacher for Katy ISD. He is a graduate of Northwestern State University where he majored in Child and Family Studies. He was also a four year veteran of the Demon Heat Colorguard. PJ’s drum corps career started with Louisiana Stars in 2015 and 2016 and went on to age out with the Madison Scouts in 2017. He was also the colorguard director at Haughton High School for several years. He is currently a Technician/Choreographer at Jordan High School in Fulshear, TX. This will be PJ’s third year teaching with Stars, and he is so excited to see what the season holds!
Chatlain Leblanc
Technician and Choreographer
Chatlain Leblanc started her colorguard journey in Denham Springs in 2002 and has been involved in the activity ever since. She accepted a scholarship with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Pride of Acadiana in 2008 and moved to Lafayette, LA. Chatlain graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a bachelors of science in 2014. She continues to teach local programs in the area. She has taught and choreographed for many programs including Louisiana Stars, Shadow Drum and Bugle Corps, Lafayette High, and LSU Winterguard. She marched her rook-out season at Blue Devils in 2012. She is currently the captain of Lake Area Independent Winterguard.
Jastaesha Newsome
Technician and Choreographer
Jastaesha Newsome is a native of Hattiesburg, MS where she graduated from Oak Grove High School. She marched in the Oak Grove Marching Band all throughout her high school career and was the head color guard captain her senior year. After high school, Jastaesha started her DCI career as a color guard member at Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps in 2018 and aged out as a color guard member at Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in 2020.
Jastaesha is currently in her senior year at the University of Southern Mississippi where she will graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management in May 2022. After graduation, Jastaesha plans on starting her career as a high school teacher and color guard instructor.
Alissa Joseph
Technician and Choreographer
Alissa is from Pineville, LA. She is undergraduate psychology student at Northwestern State University, and is also a 4 year veteran of the Demon Heat Colorguard. Her drum corps career started in 2016 with the Louisiana Stars. She marched there for two years before marching three seasons with the Phantom Regiment, aging out the season of 2021. This will be her first season back with Stars and she is so excited to take part in developing students’ growth and love for the activity!
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