In the Southern Baptist community where he grew up, he was a "difficult" child-restless, outspoken, and unconventional, with a flair for the dramatic. But for George Scott Chandler, the journey toward self-discovery and acceptance would lead him to an unexpected place: the fast-paced, high-stakes world of competitive marching and pageantry, where he found a whirlwind of color and movement, song and dance, and expression and creativity. Here, the hyperactivity and artistic temperament that made him the target of bullying over the years would finally allow him to thrive.

Now, as an...