Band students head to Washington, D.C.

One of the perks of being in band is the lavish trip taken every three years, and this year, individuals in band have the opportunity to head out to Washington, D.C. Here, they will site-see for five days and also play some music as well. From Saturday, March 10, to the following Saturday (spring break), band members will spend their days learning about American history and visiting historic sites.

On Sunday, March 11, the band will arrive in D.C. and have dinner at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. They will also see Herbie Hancock who is a renowned pianist.

Monday brings the Holocaust Museum. Following this, they’ll hit the Lincoln Memorial where they will play concert pieces.

“It’s crazy to think we’ll be playing where MLK has spoken to millions in his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech,” band member Bennett Ford said.

Following this experience, the band will watch the Marine Corps Band, an inspiration for all the members.

The band will head to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis on Tuesday where they will receive a tour. Taking a break from D.C., they will travel up to Baltimore to shop and eat as well as visit the Baltimore Aquarium.

Wednesday is dedicated to the Smithsonian museums. The jazz bands are set to visit the Armed Forces retirement home and play some jazz music for the residents there.

Thursday is their last day in D.C., and they plan to visit the Arlington National Cemetery to see the Eternal Flame, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watch the Changing of the Guard. They will then tour the Capitol and take a picture with Iowa’s Senator Chuck Grassley. The band will wrap up the day by walking the National Mall.

On Friday, the band will depart D.C. and travel to Kalahari Resort, which is the world’s largest waterpark. After a dinner here, they will pack up their belongings and head home.

For a trip of this magnitude, money can sometimes be an issue. That’s why band members have hosted numerous fundraisers. The annual carwash was the big ringer. Many got enough pledges to raise a healthy amount of money that went to their trip accounts. “The whole thing really excites me. Seeing Herbie Hancock is going to be incredible, and so is playing for tourists at the Lincoln Memorial. The educational side is really neat too. Now that I’ve taken U.S. history II and American government, I can see lessons I learned in class in action and in front of me. Also, the fact of getting out of CF for spring break for some very nice weather with friends isn’t bad either,” Ford said.

Not all band members will be attending this trip, for various reasons. Junior Julie Doyle decided to pass on it in order to save money for the church trip Caravan this summer.

“My favorite part about band is the people because they are all solid individuals. Then getting us all together, we just make each other better people as a whole. I won’t be going on the band trip, but a lot of people have told me they look forward to playing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial,” Doyle said.