ADAMS TWP — Route 228 commuters who notice the large group of teens congregated on weekdays in the parking lot at the Mars High School auditorium are seeing a musical extravaganza in the works.

The 80 members of the Mars High School Fightin’ Planets Marching Band are rehearsing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays in preparation for their fall season.

The band’s football halftime show for the 2015-16 school year is “Styx and Stones,” and will include songs from the rock bands Styx and The Rolling Stones.

The band’s competition show is “Piano Man: The Music of Billy Joel.” It will feature Joel’s biggest hits, including “Only the Good Die Young,” “My Life,” and “Just the Way You Are.”

Other songs the band will play are “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and “Carry On My Wayward Son” by Kansas.

Katie Olsen, a Mars junior and the drum major, said the competitive show mimics a professional marching band performance, and the “Styx and Stones” show was created to pump up the Friday night football fans.

“It will definitely get the football crowd excited,” Katie said.

“There’s a lot that goes into this,” she said, “and we really appreciate it when people watch us and show their support.”

Her job as drum major is to conduct the band. At band camp, she helps teach marching and assists with rehearsal in general.

“I’m essentially everybody’s go-to for where they need to go and where they need to be,” Katie said.

Formerly a clarinet player in the band, Katie decided last year to audition for the drum major spot. She said marching band has changed her life.

“I was a person who faded into the background,” Katie said. “I didn’t want to do marching band. Then I saw a show.”

She said marching band helped her come out of her shell and gain confidence.

“Now, I wouldn’t want to spend my summer with anyone else but these people,” she said.

Senior Olivia Orban, who plays the tuba, also pointed to her five years in the marching band as a life-changing experience.

“I joined with a friend, and then I found that I love music so much that it’s what I want to do with my life,” said Olivia, who plans to major in music education at DePaul University next year.

She said before marching band, she didn’t practice much and settled for average when it came to her music skills.

“Now I push myself,” she said. “I’ve also gotten stronger physically. It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done with my life.”

Fellow senior Austin Pengilly said marching band provides him with something to focus on.

“Most of everyday life is pretty standard,” Austin said. “There’s more to do than live life how you’re expected to.”

Austin formerly marched playing saxophone, but switched when the former band director said she needed volunteers to play the tuba.

“I wasn’t paying attention, and all I heard was ‘volunteer,’ so I raised my hand,” he said. “(Changing to tuba) took a little bit, but I got it.”

Mark Rodgers, who has taught instrumental music at the high school for nine years, became the marching band director last year.

Rodgers said the marching band went from 63 students last year to 80 this year. He attributes the increase to the band’s first-place finish at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association’s AA competition last year.

“When you have a winning team, people want to be a part of it,” Rodgers said.

He said marching band almost always improves the lives of students during band season and also helps them later in life.

“The teamwork, dedication and hard work required in marching band translates to every aspect of life,” Rodgers said.

All the seniors who marched last year, Rodgers said, carried a grade-point average of more than 4.0. He recalled traveling to away games and competitions last year with the scholarly group.

“I’ve never seen so many kids study physics on the bus before,” he said.

Those interested in experiencing the band can attend the Friday night home football games at the Mars Athletic Complex or the Butler County Band Festival at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16, at Butler High School’s Art Bernardi Stadium.

A list of other competitions is available on the Mars School District website, www.marsk12.org.