Dreadnaught Band Staff 2026-2027
Director of Bands
Robert A. Luster
Robert A. Luster has been named the next Director of Bands at Lakeland High School, returning to his hometown to begin an exciting new chapter in his music education career.
Most recently, Mr. Luster served at Riverview High School, where he joined the faculty
in 2023 after four years leading the band and orchestra programs at C. Leon King High
School in Tampa as Director of Instrumental Studies. During his time at Riverview, he
oversaw the Blue Coat Regiment Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Blue Radiance Color Guard Program, Indoor Percussion Ensemble, and Symphonic Orchestra. In 2025, the Blue Coat Regiment earned 3rd place in the FFCC State Championship Class 4A.
Originally from Lakeland and graduate of Lake Gibson High School class of 2009, Mr.
Luster brings 17 years of experience in music education and a long history of
excellence, with his ensembles consistently earning Superior ratings at Florida
Bandmasters Association and Florida Orchestra Association events.
While at King High School, Mr. Luster maintained and hosted the Lion’s Pride Marching
Festival, one of Central Florida’s largest marching band events, annually welcoming 28+ bands while creating opportunities for both competitive and non-competitive ensembles. During his tenure, he also helped shape a renewed vision for the King band program that expanded opportunities and success for students and families.
Mr. Luster is a proud graduate of the University of South Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. During his time at USF, he performed with both the Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra and was named principal horn multiple times. He also worked extensively with high school programs throughout Florida, including Newsome High School during its championship season culminating in a first-place finish at the 2015 Bands of America Delaware Regional and participation in the 2016 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
In addition to his school music experience, Mr. Luster brings extensive Drum Corps International experience as both a performer and educator. He performed as a mellophone soloist with Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps for 3 seasons and later as a mellophone soloist with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps in 2012 before serving on the brass staff in 2014 with The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps.
Mr. Luster is an active member of the Florida Bandmasters Association and Florida
Orchestra Association.
Outside of education, Mr. Luster enjoys spending time with his wife, Claudia, and their two cats, playing video games, and cruising with Disney Cruise Line.
Percussion Instructor
John Stacy
John Stacy, known affectionately by students and fellow staff simply as Stacy, is excited to teach the Dreadnaught percussion section this year. He currently directs the Riverview Band Program’s percussion studies and activities year-round and has been percussion director since the 2021 fall marching season.
In his role qt Riverview, Stacy is responsible for overseeing percussion students during both marching season with the Blue Coat Regiment Marching Band and their intensive indoor season for the Indoor Percussion Ensemble. Leading his first indoor season at Riverview in 2022, Stacy and fellow staff and students earned bronze at the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit (FFCC) Championships in the Yamaha Division of Scholastic Marching Class AA—a feat repeated in the 2023 season for the McCormick’s Division. In 2024 the team placed fifth in their first season as part of the national classes of marching competition as part of the McCormick’s Division of Scholastic Marching Class A at FFCC Championships.
On the marching season front, Stacy has led the percussion students of the Blue Coat Regiment Marching Band to earn a Superior rating every year he has been with the Band Program.
Like many of our staff, Stacy brings experience from many areas of the marching arts. He is a former member of the University of South Florida’s Herd of Thunder Marching Band where he marched on the cymbal line, and Fusion Percussion where he was on the bass line.
As an educator, Stacy has worked with both scholastic and independent groups for the FFCC and Winter Guard International (WGI). From 2017–2020, Stacy worked with Gaither High School’s percussion program in a variety of roles, serving from time to time as battery coordinator, cymbal instructor, visual instructor and front ensemble instructor; he also assisted in administrative duties such as budgeting and staff management. Prior to Gaither, from 2014–2016 he worked with Largo High School’s indoor percussion where he was an instructor and also assisted with show design and writing. Stacy also worked with Freedom High School and his alma mater, Lecanto High School.
On the independent front, Stacy has worked extensively with Infinity 2 Percussion (A Class), Infinity 3 Percussion (Open Class) and Unity Percussion (A/Open Class). While Stacy has earned several medals during his time with independent groups, his crowning achievement was Unity’s gold at 2019 WGI Championships where they earned a score of 96.15, the highest of any ensemble in A class history.
Full-time, Stacy works at Riverview High School as a social studies instructor.
Majorette Director
Raelyn Hudson
Raelyn Hudson is an accomplished baton twirling instructor and performer with years of competitive, collegiate, and leadership experience. As a state and national champion, she has represented the sport at the highest levels, traveling throughout the United States and Puerto Rico to compete and perform.
Raelyn was a member of the University of Central Florida majorette line for four years, where she demonstrated excellence in performance, teamwork, and leadership. During her senior year, she was selected to serve as captain, leading the team while mentoring fellow athletes and representing the program with professionalism.
Since 2023, Raelyn has been a baton twirling instructor with the Lakeland Majorettes, where she is passionate about developing young athletes’ technical skills, confidence, discipline, and love for the sport. She is committed to creating a positive learning environment that encourages growth both on and off the performance floor.
Through her extensive competitive background, leadership experience, and dedication to teaching, Raelyn strives to inspire the next generation of baton twirlers while continuing to promote excellence in the sport she has loved for many years.
Color Guard Director
Anna Katherine Jones
Anna Katherine Jones is excited to join the band staff at Lakeland High School for the 2026-2027 school year. Miss Jones just completed her fourth year with the Riverview High School Band Program and her second as Director of the Blue Radiance Color Guard Program having served as an instructor for two years prior. Her role encompassed all facets of the program including directing, writing choreography, writing drill and costume and equipment design. Miss Jones works with our students year-round from fall marching season through the indoor winter guard season.
Miss Jones’ color guard career began at Auburndale High School where she was a member of the fall and indoor team all four years. During her time with Auburndale, Miss Jones and the team earned a silver and bronze medal at the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit (FFCC) Championships.
Currently in her eleventh overall year of spinning, Miss Jones previously marched with the World Class Drum Corps International (DCI) group Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps and earned bronze with them at the 2023 DCI World Championships. She is also a current member of Tampa Independent, another World Class group, having been on the team when, as an Open Class group, they earned gold at FFCC Championships in Daytona and bronze at Winter Guard International’s World Championships in Dayton, OH—the latter achievement led to their move to World Class from 2023 to present day.
Miss Jones is a student at Polk State College and plans to transfer to the University of South Florida for her bachelor’s degree in business and hospitality management.
In her free time, Miss Jones loves to spend time with her family and friends enjoying all that Florida has to offer from antique stores and artisan cafes and anything in between.
Percussion Director
Devin Holt
Devin Holt has served as a percussion instructor for the Lakeland Dreadnaught Marching Band since 2024. He has performed with the DCI SoundSport group known as Impact and is currently chasing more percussion performance opportunities. He is the Executive Director of a local jazz ensemble known as “Swansemble” that performs in the Polk County/Central Florida Area.
Beyond teaching at the Dreadnaught Marching Band, he currently serves as a private percussion instructor for the Lakeland School of Music, where he teaches and coaches musicians of all ages and experience levels.
When he’s not performing or teaching, you can find him at home spending time with his family, or at the local bowling alley.
Winds Instructor
Samuel Raker
Samuel Raker graduated from our very own Lakeland Senior High School in 2017, and studied Aviation Maintenance Administration at Polk State College. He actively performed with the Polk State Symphonic Band and Jazz Band ensembles. Sam spent four consecutive years performing with the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps from Dubuque, Iowa. Drum Corps International has been the leader in producing performance art events for the world’s most elite and exclusive marching ensembles for both student musicians and performers alike, and Sam is excited to bring knowledge from his experience into the Dreadnaught Marching Band.
Winds Instructor
Julia Lehman
Julia Lehman will be returning for Year 2 with the Dreadnaught Marching Band. She is a Senior at Florida Southern College Majoring in Music Education and Music Performance for Trumpet Studies. She attended Lemon Bay High School in Charlotte County and found herself in Lakeland trying to build a successful career.
She has been involved in the music community for 11 years, and continues to strive for excellence through hard work and determination. Upholding a strong 4.0 GPA and leading clubs around her campus, she can not only aid the Lakeland High School student’s musical abilities, but build their character and leadership as well. Julia also teaches private lessons for trumpet around Polk county! She is excited to be part of such a wonderful staff, and cannot wait to see how successful these students will become.
Color Guard Instructor
Kenuel Aviles
Kenuel Aviles is excited to teach the Sailorettes Color Guard this year!
Kenuel is a recent graduate of Lakeland High School. He is currently a student at Polk State College, majoring in Music Education. His primary instrument is voice, and his secondary instrument is percussion. He has been involved in choir since sixth grade, and it quickly became one of his greatest passions. During his junior and senior years of high school, he joined the band as a member of the drumline. It was an incredible experience that taught him the value of teamwork, discipline, and learning from those around him.
During his senior year, he also became a member of the Lakeland Senior High School Winter Guard. Through that experience, he developed new skills, built lasting friendships, and continued to grow as both a performer and a person.
Music has always been a central part of his life, and it has shaped who he is today. His goal is to become a music educator who inspires others to discover the same passion and joy that music gave him while building meaningful connections with his students and community.
Winds Instructor
Angelina Piracha
Angelina Piracha is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Education at Florida Southern College. She has served on the band staff at Lakeland High School (2023–2024) and as a volunteer with the Lake Region High School band program in 2023. Angelina marched mellophone with The Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps from 2021 to 2023 and is currently a reed player in the pit orchestra at Theatre Winter Haven. She has musical experience across brass, woodwind, percussion, and string instruments, and enjoys playing banjo as a hobby outside of her formal music studies.