• Meaning of Name: “Kawa” means “River”
• Ajan Treasure: The Platinum Quarterseeker Bracelet
• Quote: “How can you even think of ruining a pizza by putting onions on it!?”
• First Story Appearance: The Dreamspeaker
• Family: Mother, Father, three younger brothers
• Personality: Gentle, patient and caring
• Home: Sugar Maple Park East
• Hobbies: French Club, Drum Major Competition
• Best Friend: Arianne Owens
• Age: 16
• Birthdate: March 1st
• Eyes: Purple
• Hair: White
• Height: 5′10″
• Favorite Food: Pizza
• Favorite Color: Pink
• Favorite Places to Visit: Doubler’s Pizza, Brown Stadium
• Favorite Music: Classical Guitar
• Favorite School Subject: French
• Favorite Flower: Iris
• Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Strawberry
• Favorite Pizza Toppings: Pepperoni, Linguica, Red Peppers, Roasted Tomatoes, Chopped Garlic, Green Peppers, Mushrooms, Olives, Canadian Bacon, Italian Sausage, Pineapple, Genoa Salami, Pesto, Mandarin Oranges, Shrimp, Parmesan
• Least Favorite Food: Onions (especially on pizza)
• Least Favorite School Subject: Science
• Year in School: Junior
• Band Instrument: Bass Trombone
• Band Rank: Second Drum Major, Section Leader
• Other Musical Instruments: Baritone Horn, Tuba, Sousaphone, Guitar, Baritone Saxophone
• Greatest Wish: To open a restaurant

Alanna Kawa is the Second Drum Major of the Tree Shores High School Marching Band. She is two years ahead of Jessica Hoshi in school, and Jessica thinks Alanna is the most confident person she has ever known.

Alanna is rather fond of pizza.

Alanna’s goal is to be chosen as the Drum Major in her senior year, and she is working very hard on developing her leadership qualities so she can do her best as leader of a 200-piece parade and field band. She works on her mace routines constantly, and although she isn’t yet as skilled as Paul Castaneda (the current Drum Major), she has produced her own competition-level parade routine and can power throw and power catch a 7-cycle mace toss with very rare drops.

In order to be selected Second Drum Major, which is the second-highest rank in the band, Alanna spent months during her sophomore year practicing to complete a series of tests, including an essay, written exam, speech and both field and parade performances. Of the 15 competitors, Alanna was the only one to achieve a perfect score in parade and although she dropped the mace in her field routine, her ability to continue the performance without interruption earned her even further recognition.

Alanna decided to play bass trombone in her junior year, and due to the large number of graduating seniors the year before, was promoted to Low Brass Section Leader. In addition to being Second Drum Major, she is in charge of the trombones, baritones and sousaphones. She carried the brass sousaphone in her freshman year, the only girl in an instrument section of 18 musicians. Her determination to do well earned her the immediate respect of her fellow tuba players, some of whom encouraged her to try out for Second Drum Major. Alanna tells the story of her tryout:

“My whole section showed up in full uniform with their instruments for my tryout, and they stood at attention holding 17 brass sousaphones along the route I did my parade routine on. It was the first and only time that the bass line has ever done that at a Drum Major tryout. It was the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me in band. I was so proud to be a low brass player that day.”

“The day I got the call that I had been promoted to Second Drum Major, all seventeen of the other sousaphone players called me to congratulate me, and our section leader made it a point to say ‘ma’am’ as a show of respect, even though he was two years older than me, and had taught me how to march with the tubas when I first joined the band.”

Alanna is very gentle, warm and a very caring person. She has great empathy for people who are feeling bad or are suffering, and she puts great effort into looking out for her friends. Her greatest wish is to visit the Eiffel Tower someday, and then to open her own pizza restaurant so she can try out all of her imaginative recipes. Alanna lives with her parents and three younger brothers near the lake on Sugar Maple Park East.