STAFF
CHRISTY THOMASON

I am the director of Innovations Winter guard.  I graduated
from Hickman Mills High School in 1993 where I first learned
about winter guard from Jeff Storey and Mark Schleihs.  I then
went to college at SMSU in Springfield and graduated in 1997.
 It was a great experience for me to have John Sullivan as my
guard instructor there.  After graduating from college I slowed
down on guard stuff and got married. We have two amazing
boys ages 5 and 8.  I am very active in the Kearney Relay for
Life.  My dad passed away 2 1/2yrs ago from Brain cancer
and it is very important to me to raise money for cancer
research.  I just wish dad could be here to see all of this-he
would be so proud and excited to find me following my dream.
After being the guard director at Kearney High School I went
to Blue Springs South where I worked with wondering people
and gained even more experience.  At this time though I am
going to just be doing Innovations and put all my work here.  I
helped with an independent guard two years ago to learn how
to start my own guard and here we are.  I have a very
supportive husband and family and without them I would
never have gotten this far!!!
Sara Ethridge


Originally from Illinois, Clarence was active throughout
school in many areas of the arts:  painting, theater, choir,
band, and color guard.  Clarence majored in saxophone
performance at Eastern Illinois University where he was
also a member of the concert bands, woodwind
ensembles, and athletic bands.  In addition to musical
pursuits, Clarence took dance while a university student.  
Clarence has instructed many color guards and continues
to adjudicate numerous performance ensembles.  During
summer months, he has taught units in the Eastern,
Southern, and Midwestern United States.  Clarence brings
a vast body of knowledge of the performance activity as
well as a fresh perspective to Innovations.
Clarence Toyd - show design and staging
Mark Schleihs

Mr. Schleihs will be writing our rifle and saber work as well as
helping perfect our show.  Mr. Schleihs has performed as a
percussionist, horn player, and color guard member in various
drum corps and winter guard programs and aged out of the
activity with the Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps during
the summer and Pride of Cincinnati during the winter. Mr.
Schleihs is a representative with Cook Critical Care of
Bloomington, Indiana
Bianca Como-Dance

I have been dancing for 25 years at a studio in Raymore,
MO (Saundra Lee's).  I am trained in ballet, jazz, tap, hip
hop, tumbling, modern, lyrical, & pointe.  I teach master
classes for area dance studios.  I was involved in colorguard
& winterguard all throughout high school.  I assisted with the
Hickman Mills winterguard for several years.  I have judged
several marching band & winterguard competitions & taught
at many flag clinics.  I graduated from MU with a degree in
education, specializing in early childhood.  I taught 1st grade
for 4 years in the Belton School District.  
I married my JUNIOR high school sweetheart almost 7 years
ago.  We have 2 beautiful sons & we are welcoming a
daughter to our family.
I graduated from Hickman Mills High School in 1993 with
Christy. I was in the colorguard and winterguard all 4 yrs.
of high school under the direction of Jeff Storey and Mark
Schleihs. I then went off to college, receiving my Bachelor
of Science in Drafting Technology from Central Missouri
State University in Warrensburg, MO. After college, I
moved to Columbia, MO to follow the love of my life, Chris
Cline and start my new career. (Just so you know, blind
dates really can have happy endings.) Chris and I lived in
Columbia for 4 years before moving back to Kansas City
and getting married in 2002. I currently work at HNTB, a
civil engineering firm, in downtown KC. When I'm not
working, I am a Jazzercise instructor in Independence, MO.
And when I actually get some "free" time, I like to hang out
with the two men of my life (my husband and Smoke, the
best Black Lab around).
Guard was always my passion in high school and now
having the opportunity to work with Innovations is very
exciting for me. I can't wait to get started for the season