First Sergeant Homer W. Ellis
First
Sergeant Ellis is a native of Sunbright, Tennessee, graduated from Kathleen High
School in Lakeland, Florida in 1967. He received his Associate in Arts degree in
music from Polk Junior College, in Winter Haven, Florida in 1969. He received
his Bachelor of Arts degree in music education from Saint Leo College, in Saint
Leo, Florida in 1971. He completed his Masters of Business Administration from
1SG Ellis spent three years as a trumpet
player in the 80th Army Band (1971-1974). He taught general music, K-8; chorus,
7-12; band 5-12 at Tryon City Schools, in Tryon, North Carolina (1974-1976). In
the fall of 1976 1SG Ellis began his tenure at D. R. Hill Middle School and at
The D. R. Hill Middle School Band program
had been the recipient of the SCBDA Outstanding Performance Award fourteen
times. The concert bands have earned 19 Excellent and 15 Superior ratings at
SCBDA Concert Festivals.
The D. R. Hill Middle School band has performed at
the South Carolina Music Educators In-Service Conference in 1999 and the
1SG Ellis joined the
246th Army National Guard Band in 1979 as a trumpet and French horn player. The
band is now based in
1SG Ellis and his wife, Jan, have four children: Kim Cansler, Matthew Ellis, Kevin Bowers, Dorothy Ellis and three grand children AJ Cansler, Jake Cansler and Nicholas Cansler.