At Virginia State University’s homecoming matchup against Livingstone College, one standout figure took the field in all white: a 10-year-old drum major-in-training named Aleem “The Dream” Saunders. The Richmond native marched alongside Virginia State University‘s marching band, a moment that felt like the natural endpoint of a journey that started in his childhood home.
It began with water buckets and rhythm. Aleem and his twin brother used household items to make music as toddlers, but while his brother eventually moved toward football, Aleem stayed committed to music. That dedication led him to the college marching band experience he’d long imagined—made possible when his mother, Chante Washington, arranged a surprise opportunity for him to work with Virginia State University‘s band at homecoming.
“It’s a dream,” Aleem said simply. “I just feel so great to be here.”
He already had experience with the band at Highland Springs High School, but stepping onto a college field marked his first time marching with a collegiate ensemble. The experience exposed him to the precision and discipline required at that level—lessons that went beyond the field itself. One quick rule he learned: drop the mace, and push-ups follow.
Aleem has been absorbing what he can from the experienced performers around him, picking up new conducting techniques and moves. But his ambitions don’t stop there. “My goal is to get good grades in school and get a scholarship,” he said.
Washington describes her son as determined and outgoing, someone who commits fully to what he pursues. “Once he wants to do something, he sticks with it, and he goes hard on it,” she said. “He’s not a quitter.”
What’s made the journey possible isn’t just Aleem’s drive. The community around him has shown up consistently—offering encouragement when he struggles, celebrating his wins, and finding constructive ways to guide him. VSU’s drum major coordinator Maurice Bowles even helped put together Aleem’s marching band look for homecoming. Washington’s mother acknowledges that raising a child with big dreams requires more than one person.
“It’s such a blessing to be around people that feed into your children, that are just positive with your children,” she said.
Homecoming has passed, but Aleem is already thinking about the next opportunity to improve. With his mother and community in his corner, he’s trading childhood imagination for concrete goals—one step, one beat, one marching season at a time.
“All I can say is that this is the beginning,” Washington added. “I see great things happening to all of my children.”
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