It’s not much. A small wood and metal plaque, a bit larger than a piece of paper, and tucked away in the band room at The Kings Academy in Sunnyvale. If you didn’t know to look for it, you would never find it. But the meaning behind the tribute to former Sunnyvale High School Marching Band Director John Riggle is much greater than the metal it’s carved on. Because before tech companies like Juniper Networks, Fortinet and Intuitive Surgical called Sunnyvale home, there was the Sunnyvale High School Marching Band.
“That was the beginning of literally Sunnyvale High School putting Sunnyvale on the map. In the early 70s, the semiconductor industry, Silicon Valley, high tech had not been established yet,” said Ed Lizardo, a former drum major and class of ’74. “Sunnyvale was not the center of anything yet … every time we were televised; everywhere we marched, Sunnyvale was there. From Washington to Southern L.A. People knew who Sunnyvale were.”
Riggle became director of the Sunnyvale High School Marching Band and Royal Sabre Color Guard in 1969, at a time when social tensions were high. At the North Sunnyvale high school, he brought together students from different races and economic backgrounds to march together under a common goal.
“In spite of all our ethnic differences and our family differences and ideologies, the one thing we had in common was marching, and the unification of that love and passion for music was John Riggle,” said Lizardo. “He championed the underprivileged and the underdog, and he instilled in us not so much our differences, but the commonality of goal setting.”
In quick order, the students thrived. Under Riggle, the Sunnyvale High School Marching Band was invited to the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl and Rose Parade. It presented at 49ers’ and Raiders’ games. The band performed for First Lady Pat Nixon when she landed at Moffett Field, and it was enshrined in the Hollywood movie, “Harold and Maude.”
Riggle left Sunnyvale High School in 1977, just a few years before the school closed for good. However, his impact lived on. When he died in March 2026, The Kings Academy, which now occupies the former Sunnyvale High School campus, offered to put up a plaque in Riggle’s honor.
On Sept. 18, Sunnyvale High School band alumni performed during The Kings Academy football game and officially dedicated the plaque to Riggle. It now sits in The Kings Academy band room to inspire the next generation of musicians, just as Riggle inspired the musicians he led all those years ago.
“John was able to relate with us, and not only being the educator, but also being a good mentor and friend through this activity that we call band,” said Aristotle Santa Cruz, drum major and Class of ’78.
“You recognize the culture, you recognize the expectations, and you wanted to perform,” said Dean Gomez, Class of ’81. “You wanted to be part of that program. You were instilled to excel. I think John Riggle just established that benchmark and then would push to make sure that everyone not only made it but exceeded it.”
“I would say John absolutely stands heads and shoulders above anybody else I have ever interacted with in terms of his ability and his influence over the thousands of people that have gone through his programs and he has interacted with,” said Katie Feist, Class of ’78, who went on to work in the tech industry. “I don’t know anybody else that even comes close, and that includes CEOs of Silicon Valley.”
*The Sunnyvale High School alumni will hold a celebration of life for John Riggle in March 2027. If alumni would like to participate, they can contact Elaine Carvao via the website SunnyvaleHighJets.com.