Seven Lakes Spartan Band
Director of Bands
Mr. Mays is in his twenty second year of teaching and is currently in his seventh year as the Director of Bands at Seven Lakes High School in Katy ISD. Prior to coming to Katy ISD, he taught in the school districts of Spring, Richardson, Plano and Rockwall.
Mr. Mays grew up in Brady, Texas where he began playing the trumpet in 6th grade. He attended Texas Tech University where he switched to the Horn and earned his Bachelors of Music Education degree. While in college, Mr. Mays was a member of the Texas Tech University performing wind bands, as well as a member of the Goin’ Band from Raiderland and Court Jesters.
Bands under the direction of Mr. Mays have received consistent Sweepstakes Awards in University Interscholastic League competitions for Marching, Concert Performance, and Sight Reading. In 2013, his Clark High School Wind Ensemble was named National Winner in the National Wind Band Competition in both the Classification and New Music Division. In 2018 the Seven Lakes Wind Symphony was selected to perform at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis. Mr. Mays also co-conducts the Seven Lakes High School Symphony Orchestra, which was recently named as the 2020 TMEA Honor Orchestra.
Mr. Mays has been recognized as an Honorary Member for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, as well as, being honored in Plano with the Life PTA Membership Award. In 2013, Mr. Mays was nominated for Teacher of the Year at Clark High School in Plano ISD.
His professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmaster Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Beta Mu International Band Fraternity. Mr. Mays maintains an active schedule as a clinician and adjudicator.
Associate Director of Bands
Originally from Spring, Texas, Mr. Witty graduated from Sam Houston State University where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and studied saxophone with Dr. Scott Plugge.
While at SHSU, he was a principal player in the Wind Ensemble, a member of the Bearkat Marching Band, and performed extensively with the SHSU Saxophone Quartet. Mr. Witty also performed with the Troopers (2010) and Cavaliers (2011) Drum & Bugle Corps as a member of the baritone/euphonium section.
He began his teaching career as an Assistant Band Director at Clements High School from 2013-2015, and most recently was the Assistant Band Director at The Woodlands High School from 2015-2022. During his time at The Woodlands, concert ensembles under his direction received consistent UIL Sweepstakes Awards, and the marching band was a consistent Bands of America Regional, Super Regional and Grand Nationals Finalist, as well as a UIL State Marching Band Contest Finalist. The program received the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Shield Award in 2018, and was recognized as a 2019-2020 Program of Excellence Blue Ribbon Award winner by the National Band Association.
He is currently an active clinician, choreographer, and consultant for programs throughout the Houston area and is incredibly lucky to be able to share his passion with so many students. Outside of band, Mr. Witty enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and expressing his creativity through website design and photography.
Associate Director of Bands
Mr. Wadkins was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and is in his first year of teaching. He graduated from Ball State University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Music Education and a minor in Psychology of Human Development. While at Ball State University, he performed with the Wind Ensemble, Jazz I Ensemble, Statesmen Men’s Choir, and Ball State Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Wadkins also marched with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps for three seasons in 2018, 2019, and 2021.
During his time at Ball State University, Mr. Wadkins taught marching band at multiple schools. In 2018 and 2019, he worked with Homestead High School’s marching band which finished both seasons in ISSMA State Finals and BOA Grand National Finals. In 2020 and 2021, he worked with the marching band at Concordia Lutheran High School which finished the season in ISSMA State Finals. Mr. Wadkins also spent his time student teaching at Carmel High School, working with their wind symphonies, jazz bands, and marching band.
Mr. Wadkins is a current member of the National Association for Music Education and and Texas Music Educators Association as well as an alumnus of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
Director of Percussion
J. Allen Vinson is in his 5th year as Associate Director of Bands and the coordinator for the Seven Lakes High School percussion program out of Katy ISD. Mr. Vinson’s current responsibilities include conducting the Concert Band, teaching and organizing the Marching Percussion program, the 4 Percussion Ensembles, the Percussion Class at Beckendorff Junior High School, team-teaching the Wind Symphony and Symphonic Winds, and rehearsing/organizing the percussion section for the Seven Lakes High School Full Orchestra; the 2016 and 2020 TMEA Full Honor Orchestra.
While at Seven Lakes High School, Mr. Vinson has founded and oversees the marching percussion competition and clinic, Battle at the Lakes, that will be entering into its 2nd year of operation. In 2020 Mr. Vinson also founded the Seven Lakes Indoor Percussion Ensemble which became a WGI and TCGC finalist in the state.
Mr. Vinson has previously served as the primary battery technician for the Clear Brook High School drumline out of Friendswood, Texas. While there, he assisted with three TCGC Championships, two WGI Regional Championships, and a Second Place ranking in the WGI World Championships.
Color Guard Director
Stephanie Click has been involved with the marching activity for 30 years and has had a connection with the Seven Lakes guard program since 2008. She has taught in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas with programs such as Lone Oak HS, Father Ryan HS, and Brentwood HS. Stephanie has been a color guard clinician at the Bands of America Summer Symposium where she specialized in teaching beginners which is her passion. Having grown up as a dancer, Stephanie worked as the movement specialist for the 8-time WGI World Champion, Music City Mystique. While there, she developed an innovative and unique approach to training the members in the percussion movement category that was one of the first of its kind in the nation.
Stephanie is a graduate of Murray State University with a degree in Public Relations and a minor in music. She is the owner of a small business that specializes in Strategic Social Media.
Percussion Instructor
Cameron Figueroa is a classically trained Orchestral Percussionist and a Front Ensemble specialist. He received his Bachelors Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Arizona. While studying at the University of Arizona under Dr. Norman Weinberg, Former Member of PAS Board of Directors, Mr. Figueroa specialized in Solo and Chamber works. He then went on to receive his Masters Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Georgia. While studying under Timothy Adams, Jr., Former Principal Timpanist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Figueroa specialized in Orchestral Percussion. Along side his Orchestral and Solo percussion career, Mr. Figueroa has also participated in the DCI and WGI venues performing with Dark Sky Percussion (2011-15), Music City Mystique (2016-17), and The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (2014-16). As an educator, Mr. Figueroa has taught at various high schools, Music City Mystique (2018), The University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band (2018-20). He is now the Assistant Percussion Director at Seven Lakes High School in Katy, TX and a Private Lesson Educator to much of the Houston area.
Mr. Figueroa proudly endorses and represents Innovative Percussion and Sabian Cymbals as an Educational Artist.
