JJ Cranford
GUARD DIRECTOR

JJ Cranford is the Director of the Color Guard at the brand new Felton Grove High School. As a passionate educator and performer, he is dedicated to building a program where students not only develop strong technical and artistic skills, but also discover a sense of belonging and community through the performing arts.

JJ has led and choreographed for the color guard programs at both Northwest Guilford and Holly Springs High Schools. At Northwest Guilford, he led the varsity team to earn a silver medal at the Atlantic Indoor Association (AIA) South Championships and prepared them for a strong showing as Scholastic A Class semifinalists at the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. At Holly Springs, JJ developed and honed the technical skills that helped the JV team secure a silver medal at the AIA Championships in the Scholastic A2 Class.

In addition to his work with high school programs, JJ has contributed choreography for clinics hosted by UNC Chapel Hill and First Flight Winter Guard. As a performer, he marched with Holly Springs High School Color Guard and Winter Guard from 2019 to 2023 and has been a member of First Flight World Guard since 2024.

JJ is currently pursuing a degree in Information Systems and Supply Chain Management with a concentration in Business Analytics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he is expected to graduate in May of 2027.

As a director, JJ’s goal is to help students discover their love for performing and find a family within the performing arts, where they feel supported and challenged to grow.