[2][3], In 1958, the Holy Name parish declined to support the corps' travel and disbanded the corps. Im still standing and using my voice to say what you did was wrong, she said. First, I want to thank you for the opportunity you have afforded me in this role. The woman addressed Anthony in court, telling him of years of fear, shame, and depression as a result of the crime, which she did not immediately report. Shes four years removed from the corps now, and married. Give us your full drum corps/marching music background. After the hearing, Hopkins' lawyer, Thomas Bergstrom, called the probationary sentence a fair result and said there were many inconsistencies in the accusers' stories. On April 5, 2018, allegations were made in published reports that the longstanding corps director, George Hopkins, sexually harassed or abused multiple members of the corps and staff over a period of years. She said Hopkins' denials on social media after the allegations became public in 2018 he complained he had been smeared were a constant source of anxiety. A six-month investigation into Allentown's Youth Education in the Arts is now complete. separated from YEA and became the nonprofit Cadets Arts & Entertainment Inc. Hopkins called the allegations an orchestrated smear, Report: Drum corps leader threw things at work, called women little girls, California residents do not sell my data request. He watched as several other members suffered avoidable injuries from being overworked with little rest. In 1998, the corps rebranded once again, dropping any reference to locale from its name and becoming simply The Cadets. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Rescue operations underway as Wyoming blizzard continues to wreak havoc, Applications open for nonprofit 1-cent funding, Global race is on to improve EV range in the cold, Gordon discusses importance of focusing on Wyoming solutions, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities. I wholeheartedly believe in the mission and vision of YEA! George Hopkins, the former CEO of the Allentown-based Youth Education in the Arts, faces three felony counts of sexual assault for allegedly assaulting two former employees. [13] The corps' compliance with the terms of probation was sufficient for DCI to allow the corps to compete in 2018, and the probation was lifted in May 2019. The DCI.org interview: George Hopkins 2; Steve Vickers, ed. reached a settlement in January 2019. Former drum corps leader pleads no contest to indecent assault; judge Also in 1971, the Garfield Cadets, along with the 27th Lancers, Boston Crusaders, Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, and Blue Rock, formed the United Organization of Junior Corps (also known as the "Alliance"). Stuart Evan Rice said in an interview this week that he told Dan Acheson . says every person associated with its drum corps programs must sign a code of conduct, , There's another twist in the ongoing investigation over sexual assault allegations targeting, Documents obtained by 69 News appear to show former Youth Education in the Arts CEO and Alle, The investigation into sexual misconduct allegations at the Allentown Cadets drum and bugle , The organization that oversees Allentown's famed Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. In the suit, Hopkins denied he was fired by YEA, claiming he left the organization through a mutually agreeable cessation of employment.. ; Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 17:00, United States Scholastic Band Association, "corpsreps.com The Drum Corps Repertoire Database", "Determination: Believing in the Midwest Combine", "Bang the Drum Slowly: A Championship Drum and Bugle Corps Leaves the State", "The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps: A history of alleged sexual abuse", "Statement from the Board of Directors of Youth Education in the Arts", "YEA! Wij, Yahoo, maken deel uit van de Yahoo-merkenfamilie. The 36-year-old woman addressed Anthony and spoke about years of fear, shame and depression as a result of the crime, which she did not immediately report. Currently semi retired, while creating Act 2 of life. agreed to take over the assets and liabilities of the Crossmen in 1997. Anthony warned Hopkins that if he violated any conditions of probation he could be sent to a state prison. George Hopkins, the former director of Allentown's famed Cadets drum corps, was charged Tuesday with sexually assaulting two former employees, another striking turn in what had been an illustrious, four-decade-long career that took Hopkins to the top of the national youth activity. ), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. and USBands affects the lives of tens of thousands of students each year and I feel humbled to have played a small part in that. Exercise was often used as punishment for messing up. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. DCI.org: For the uninitiated, give us a brief history of YEA!'s relationship with the Crossmen. George Hopkins has been charged in Lehigh County with two counts of sexual assault. Hopkins earned about $177,000 in 2017, according to the nonprofit's financial statements. She told police that she passed out in his apartment and when she woke up, Hopkins was gone. as of March 31, 2020. On July 4, 1986 the Cadets performed as a part of the Liberty Weekend celebrating both the hundredth anniversary and the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. "I felt pressured and I felt cornered. participation in 2018 Summer Tour", "Cadets to forgo west coast portion of 2018 tour", "Ex-director of Allentown drum corps enters plea in sexual assault case", "Former Allentown Cadets band leader pleads no contest to indecent assault; judge calls him 'disgusting', "Drum corps seeks $1.5 million from former director after sexual misconduct scandal", "George Hopkins, YEA settle civil suit regarding compensation", "The Cadets Announce Independent Not-For-Profit Youth Organization", https://cadets.org/cadets-announce-move-erie-pa, https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/48381432/erie-sports-center-to-become-permanent-home-for-the-cadets-drum-corps, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Cadets_Drum_and_Bugle_Corps&oldid=1139537566, The Sinfonians by Clifton Williams / Give it One by, Advance of the Sponges by HIGGINS / Left Bank Express by Pete Jackson / Pieces of Dreams by Michel Legrand, Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman / Echano by Chuck Mangione / Strawberry Soup by, Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson / In Nomine Patris, Almighty Father, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, God Said, De Profundis, Part 2 & A Simple Song, Maria, Rumble, Prologue, America, I Have a Love, & Tonight, Jeremiah Symphony, Overture to Candide & Make Our Garden Grow (from Candide), I Dreamed A Dream, At the End of the Day, Look Down, On My Own, Attack on Rue Plumet, Bring Him Home, One Day More & At the Barricades, In the Spring, When Kings Go Off to War; Ballet Sacra & On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss, Dance at the Gym, Mambo, Cha-cha, Cool, Prologue/Rumble, A Boy Like That, Tonight & Finale, The Reivers, Born on the 4th of July, Blowing Off Steam (from Far and Away), Swing, Swing, Swing (from 1941) & Land Race (from Far and Away), The Promise of Living (from Tender Land) by Aaron Copland / Tulsa: A Portrait in Oil by, Tapestry Of Nations, Prologue, Chaos and Meaning, The Sage of Time & The Promise, History Repeating by Alex Gifford / White Rabbit by, Rumble, Prologue, A Boy Like That-I Have A Love, Cool & Tonight, Symphony No. It comes from the higher-ups, it comes from the admin, it comes from the board of directors, it comes from the staff, the caption staff, the people that are in charge of putting on the show. 1 / Adagio for Strings / Medea's Dance of Vengeance, The Promise of Living (from The Tender Land) / Lincoln Portrait / Music for the Theater, Mvts. It is clear that this is not something you are okay with. The judge did not issue a ruling from the bench on Bergstroms motion. One former Youth Education in the Arts employee who spoke to Philly.com on condition that she was identified only by her first name, Marie, said Hopkins routinely harassed and assaulted her at work. Im angry. Advertisement Allentown News "I just kept saying no, don't do this, I don't want to do this," said Marie, who said she went by her middle name at work. She said that one evening in 2008, Hopkins asked her to come to his Allentown apartment to do some work. Wyoming teachers are leaving. In a no contest plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but concedes that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. Two additional women, including Beyer, came forward within days to say they were also victims. All that was claimed to have happened didnt happen. Fifteen years before nine women stepped forward to accuse drum corps leader George Hopkins of sexual abuse, a long-time critic says he warned the director of the activity's governing body of questionable behavior by Hopkins, but was dismissed. Charges were filed against Hopkins in November 2018, months after Youth Education in the Arts launched an investigation after about a dozen women accused Hopkins of sexual misconduct. Hopkins is out on $50,000 bail. This amount of the lawsuit included recovery for lost sponsorships and pledged donations to The Cadets and YEA!, a major loss of participants in the US Bands program, as well as legal fees incurred due to the scandal. Vicki Ferrence Ray, Interim Executive Director of CAE, subsequently signed an agreement to make the Erie Sports Center The Cadets' year-round home. The prosecution on Wednesday did not take a position on the defenses request. Nickelodeons Kids Choice Awards: What Is Slime, and Why Do We Love It? The CAE Board of Directors approved this decision on Monday evening, February 13, 2023. For the 1971 season, the corps stuck together, offering show promoters the five corps as a package. Former Cadet Lee Ann Riley said she was 17 when Hopkins, then 23, forced himself on her and had sex with her. Its credits include the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, President Barack Obama's first inaugural parade, a reality TV show and "Late Night with David Letterman.". An order filed Tuesday in. Since the crime occurred in 2010, before a recent amendment to Megans Law, Hopkins is not subject to sexual offender registration. The Cadets - Hopkins needs Help From George Hopkins A | Facebook Never marched in high school band. and only for this show no black uniform. Second, I want to thank the USBands team for their hard work. Crews were actively searching for people who were trapped, but having a hard time getting to them. Morning Call reporter Laurie Mason Schroeder can be reached at 610-820-6506 or lmason@mcall.com. The Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps perform during Drums Along the Rockies at Cheney Alumni Field in July 2018. In a high-profile case that came to light in 2018, a former director of the Allentown Cadets was accused of sexual misconduct ranging from verbal harassment to rape by 12 women, several of them former corps members. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. He's due back in court in February. 10 in E minor, Op. (CAE). which will ALWAYS take priority over my work. Bergstrom reiterated his position that he cant effectively prepare a defense without access to the full interview. Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Casper Star-Tribune. (YEA), the umbrella group that operates the Cadets and also serves 60,000 marching band . "' The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps . Allentown Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps separated from YEA and became the nonprofit Cadets Arts and Entertainment Inc. in May, stating they lost $1.5 million in sponsorships, donations and ticket sales after the allegations against Hopkins were made public. he sued the organization for more than $580,000 in severance pay. During training, 150 members aged 14 to 22 rehearse for 12 hours a day, on their feet from morning to night. George Hopkins, the former director of the Allentown Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps who was accused of sexual misconduct by nearly a dozen women, pleaded no contest to indecent assault and was sentenced to two years probation in Lehigh County Court on Thursday. People are using more water. [21] Committees were created in the areas of Health and Wellness, Equality and Inclusion, Performing Arts Education, Governance, and Finance. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors withdrew two charges of felony sexual assault and added the indecent assault count, a misdemeanor, to which Hopkins pleaded no contest. She said she told Hopkins no but was unable to fight off his sexual advances. All Rights Reserved. Hopkins did not testify Thursday. She said Hopkins words on social media after the allegations became public in 2018 were a constant source of anxiety. The corps quickly became one of the top competitive corps in the country. Through his attorney, Hopkins said he did not know who Marie is, but denied her allegation. CEO while denying the allegations. In 1940, the Cadets won the American Legion Junior National Championship in Boston, the first of a record nine Legion titles the corps would win between 1940 and 1964. Hopkins had worked for The Cadets since 1979 and became director in 1982, coaching the team to 10 world titles. Allentown Cadets hit hard financially by sexual misconduct scandal I know this sub loves a good Hop story, so here you go. George Hopkins. Calhoun marched in 2016 and 2017 before leaving the corps in July of his second year in the midst of mental and physical illness, compounded by the rigors of tour. Error! Its clear from the video that its been edited, and that the Inquirer has chosen to show only portions of the interview, he said. Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. YEA rejects ex-director's resignation, fires him amid allegations, New twists appear in relation to former Cadets Director George Hopkins, Investigation underway into YEA! George Hopkins, the director of The Cadets, talks about the 2017 show, "The Faithful, The Fallen, The Forgiven." George talks about the process of designing the show, the use of the singers, the three different uniforms worn by the corps, and about the issues the activity is facing around amplification ALLENTOWN, Pa. -- The longtime leader of a champion Pennsylvania-based drum and bugle corps has resigned in the wake of a newspaper report that contained allegations of sexual misconduct spanning nearly four decades. amid sexual allegations, Allentown Cadets board resigns amid allegations against ex-drum corps director, Defense says accused former drums corps director weighing plea deal. CEO while denying the allegations. Her husband, based on everything hes heard about drum corps from Connell, says he wouldnt let any of their children march. George Hopkins, who led The Cadets to renown and a slew of national and world championships, stepped down from the Allentown-based group after Philly.com reported Thursday that nine women had. Newspapers publish newsworthy items all the time, and they cant be dragged into court every single time a defense attorney wants to know what other information is out there, Berry said. In July, he sued the organization for more than $580,000 in severance pay. George Hopkins pleaded no contest in Lehigh. 39K subscribers in the drumcorps community. Hopkins, 63, was accused of sexual assault and harassment by nine women in a 2018 Inquirer article. Midway through the 1959 season, the parish allowed the corps to once more wear the uniform that remains their trademark. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Youth in Education in the Arts has issued a second statement on Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins' resignation that came after a Philadelphia Inquirer article on sexual allegations. Critic: I warned drum corps executive about George Hopkins Read more JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer In 1987, the corps won its fourth DCI crown in five years. Beyer, who said Hopkins assaulted her after she went to work for the corps, watched his plea and sentencing Thursday, but did not speak in court. There was an error processing your request. In February 2023, CAE announced a long-term partnership with the Erie Sports Center, resulting in a decision to move The Cadets and all operations of CAE to Erie, Pa. This is our director.". It carries the same weight at sentencing as a guilty plea. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets' parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. Hopkins was forced out as director of the . Ex-Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins waives hearing on sexual George Hopkins, former director of Allentown's elite Cadets drum and bugle corps, pleaded no contest to indecent assault after an Inquirer investigation revealed years of misconduct. After the allegations surfaced, Hopkins resigned in April and was then fired by a new board of directors. to take in order for its drum corps to participate in the upcoming 2018 DCI Summer Tour. Thank you again for the opportunity and best of luck. The negligence comes from a lot of places, Connell said. George Hopkins, longtime director of the Cadets drum corps, resigns after sexual misconduct allegations April 6, 2018, 7:20 AM The decorated director of The Cadets drum and bugle corps. But I never said yes," said Linda Riley. Free Access to this video! April 13, 2018. New statement from Youth in Education in the Arts on Allentown Cadets [9] Claiming to have received no letter of resignation, the new board terminated Hopkins for cause. Hopkins was hired by The Cadets in 1979 and became director in 1982, coaching the team to 10 world titles. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. He began as Director in 1983 moved its base of operations to Allentown, Pennsylvania and The Cadets relocated along with it. The YEA! Im still standing and using my voice to say what you did was wrong, she said. Not just for [the victim], but for all the women who are taken advantage of by predators like you, the judge said. I dont know a single person who marched drum corps and didnt have complaints.. and USBands affects the lives of tens of thousands of students each year and I feel humbled to have played a small part in that.