http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/ en-us Copyright 2009 Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:29:22 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss There are a lot of stories to tell from this trip: the lack of information on where to go, the lack of information given to those assigned to help out, the crush of people trying to get into events such as the parade, and the bone chilling cold. The kids have their own stories... which we hope to get here soon. They were too exhausted tonight. But, as I looked around the late pasta supper (great carb reloading after a physically demanding day), I was struck that while everyone of them looked tired, they looked content. It has been said that it may take five or ten years of reflection for these students to realize what they have been part of. That is wrong. THEY GET IT, and they get it now. And they are VERY happy to have been here. As a parent, words fail to describe the pride and joy you feel seeing your student part of this event. Words also fail to describe how happy you are for them when you see them with these smiles on their face. Let no one anywhere doubt that this band earned and deserved to be in this parade in this moment of American history. I think Michelle Obama's enthusiastic waving at our students is testimony enough that they did what they came to do: represent Trumbull, represent Connecticut, and usher in a new President and a new era in the story that is America. I has been my distinct honor to blog for you from this event. I would like to thank the Connecticut Post for creating this opportunity for myself and the other parents. I would like to further thank them for the amazing coverage they have given these deserving students. But mostly I would like to thank the Trumbull High School Golden Eagle Marching Band, the bandos, guardo, instructors, and parents, for making this possible. Without that teamwork of students, instructors, and parents, this would not have been possible. From Newark, Delaware, Tom Foth http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/thats_one_for_the_history_book.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/thats_one_for_the_history_book.html Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:29:22 -0500 So we get the official email from HR that the corporate intranet where I work is too jammed up to watch the Inauguration Day ceremonies and conduct business and that we are supposed to actually work for our pay checks - rather than surf the web and look for our kids. Oh what a moral dilemma. It is an easy one for me, I go talk to my boss and explain that "I'll work from home" if he lets me leave early (around 3:00-3:30) so I can watch the parade. "Not going to be a problem he tells me because he knows my son is marching today." I walk out of the building and my cell phone rings, it is my wife and she gives me the bad news. The parade has been delayed and that is fine she says "but the station you committed to DVR'ing is terrible" she says - "nothing but talking heads and you can't hear any music she says." Hmmm, have to think about this one for about ten seconds. I know promised to tape the band on one channel, and I don't have one of those fancy DVR's that lets me record like 3-4 stations at the same time. So I make a quick phone call from the car and find out that the best station to watch on is C-SPAN of all places, no talking heads, a clear picture, and you can actually hear the M.C. and the bands. So that is what I decide to record and I am glad I did. Oh what a glorious afternoon to "work from home" from the living room while I watch these wonderful bands on T.V. with no commercials. The Golden Eagle Band comes through around 5:30 or so and my wife and I are on cloud nine. We scour the T.V. screen for our son, but no dice, not a good camera angle for his section. But that is really okay because I know just about every other kid in that band by face and they look like they are on cloud nine too, maybe a much colder cloud nine, but they look excited to be there and I just hope the band is having as much fun as they pass the reviewing stand, as all their T.V. watching fans had. Great Job Golden Eagle Band ! - MD http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/what_station_do_i_watch_the_pa.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/what_station_do_i_watch_the_pa.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:06:59 -0500 Our long wait to see our children march before the 44th President of the United States has been rewarded! I cannot describe the feeling, except to say that now I know what it feels like for one's heart to be bursting with pride. This is not a moment that I ever imagined, seeing our kids marching on a national--even global--stage. We parents always knew they had the heart and the talent of champions. They just proved that in front of our President and in front of the world. I am so grateful to those who worked so hard and who gave so generously to enable our kids to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience. --Elena Tallian http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/an_unforgettable_moment.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/an_unforgettable_moment.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:53:28 -0500 The band parents who have stayed behind in Trumbull are watching TV and anxiously hoping for a glimpse of our students as they march in the Inaugural Parade this afternoon. Some of us have been watching the coverage all day. Some have gotten together to watch as a group. Others have tried to tune in from work, or have rushed home hoping to catch the parade coverage in time. Many of us are recording multiple stations on our DVRs, hoping to catch at least one that will capture our band. We hear that the parents who accompanied our band have made it to the parade route, and some have even snagged good positions along the route. Our official parent photographer, who has a press pass for the parade, is at his assigned post, ready to document this special day for our kids. It seems likely that our kids will be marching in the dark, due to the parade starting about an hour behind schedule. We’re confident that our amateur photographer—whose photos are anything BUT amateur—will manage to adjust to the challenge. We haven’t heard from our kids all day, since they were not allowed to take cell phones with them. But parents are excitedly texting, emailing, and calling back and forth, trying to keep one another updated. I cannot imagine what the kids are going through. I know, from reading and hearing their interviews, that they are well aware of the privilege they have been given. I know that I will surely tear up (for at least the second time today) when I see our black and gold colors coming down Pennsylvania Avenue towards our first African-American president. --Elena Tallian http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/waiting_and_watching.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/waiting_and_watching.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:44:01 -0500 The parade started an hour late and there has been a huge pause. The wind is whipping up... It is really cold now. -Tom Foth http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/short_note.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/short_note.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:22:37 -0500 There wasn't a lot of information, there was some misinformation, and not a lot of people who knew what was going on... But we are first in line at the parade route. The parade route was predicted to be closed at 10am because it would filled, but it is pretty empty. Maybe it will fill up after the swearing in ceremony. There are large speakers broadcasting the swearing ceremony as I type this. Let there be no mistake about this: I am profoundly proud to be here and to have my son Daniel and all of his friends, our band, perform today. The cold, the struggles getting here already have faded. This is remarkable... And singularly American. I don't know a better place for these kids to be today. But I have to sign off now... My finger are numb from the cold. -Tom Foth http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/we_got_to_the_parade_route.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/we_got_to_the_parade_route.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:30:51 -0500 Well, the day has come. The Trumbull contingent was assembled in the hotel lobby. The kids were an interesting mixture of sleepiness, excitement, and focus. At this part of the trip, traffic is light. Because of security concerns, the only adults with the kids are Mr. Horton, band director, and Mr. Whitmoyer, assistant band director. All of the chaperones are on the followers' bus. We'll be dropped off at RFK Stadium and need to travel about two miles to the parade route. Some of us will do that walking, others will try the Metro. Everyone is making meeting plans to get together after the parade. It is difficult for me to adequately express my feelings as we get to this point. So much has taken place in such a short time for this band and the parents. So much attention has been lavished on these incredible young performers and soon they parade on to the international stage. But, the star of this show is Mr. Obama and it is the sense and focus of everyone on this trip that we come to honor the beginning of his Presidency. And these kids will honor that by doing what they spend countless hours practicing to be the very best: performing music and drill. I think I can safely say that we as parents are humbled that their dedication that brought them to this point and honored to be a small part of this. -Tom Foth http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/on_our_way_to_the_parade.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/on_our_way_to_the_parade.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:04:55 -0500 An abbreviated day in DC to tour some of the Capitol and visit with Senator Dodd and Representative Himes. Both the Senator's staff and the Representative's staff have been very supportive of the band both during the application process as well as after we were selected. As the band marched from the bus to the Russell Building, people actually stopped to take pictures and videos of our students. You can't believe how proud the parents were of our kids to see the continued attention. At the Russell Building we were also met by members of the printed press from Connecticut. Both Mr. Dodd's and Mr. Himes' remarks were inspiring and from my vanatge point well received by the students. I think the reality concerning the crush of tomorrow is settling in. We were almost late to the Russell Building because of road closures. Getting to our buses to return found some of our group encountering security issues. From last reports, two of our buses are still trapped in DC in the gridlock and street closures as the city starts to get buttoned down for tomorrow. It is unlikely the students will blog tonight because of these delays and the need to get them to bed. We are currently scheduled to leave at 5:30 am. -Tom Foth http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/were_on_our_way_back_to_delawa.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/were_on_our_way_back_to_delawa.html Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:20:00 -0500 I cannot adequately describe the feeling of seeing or hearing a report about our band every time I turn around this morning--on the front page of the Connecticut Post, on the local TV news, and even on our local NPR radio affiliate. "Pride" doesn't seem like a big-enough word. Listening to the bandos and guardos describe their emotions and what participating in this historic event means to them gives me renewed faith in the future of our country. As a one-time history teacher, I am gratified by their sense of their place in history. As a parent, I am thrilled for them. And as part of the Trumbull community, I am so honored to have them represent our town and our state. --Elena Tallian http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/a_media_whirlwind.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/a_media_whirlwind.html Mon, 19 Jan 2009 08:50:51 -0500 You've heard about our band's supporters... as it turns out, they are everywhere. The Hilton hotel we are staying at has rolled out the red carpet for the kids. They've set aside three rooms for their use: in one they set up a Wii game, in another they set up this massive big screen TV for the kids to watch movies, and the third is a quiet room for the kids to study in. When these kids get back to school on Thursday, they are taking mid-term exams! The Ruby Tuesdays restaurant last night was equally accommodating. They stayed open past their closing time to serve the kids, chaperones, and followers. The waitstaff was incredible, given that a mob of 180 descended upon them all at once. But the one singular moment that we will all remember starts with one of the bandos finding out her mellophone (a larger brass instrument) didn't get get packed on the bus. That seldom happens, but in the excitement of things... The band was practicing in a parking lot at the University of Delaware. Our assistant band director saw a woman walking from a restaurant across the street to talk with him. It turns out to be the band director at the University of Delaware who happened to be having supper across from the practice! She asks our assistant director if there is ANYTHING she could do to help make our stay more comfortable. He says "Well, if you happen to have a mellophone..." Her response was "I will have one delivered to your hotel tonight." Amazing. Words fail me to express how incredible it is that something like this should just come together. The University of Delaware, which is the alma mater of Joe Biden, will be marching in the parade on Tuesday. Look for them, too. They are an amazing band... and they are lead by a very gracious band director. On to tour the Capitol today... and to meet with Senator Dodd and Representative Himes. Some of the students in the band are also part of THS's "We the People" team. This should be a very special event for them and set the stage for the biggest event tomorrow... the parade. Thanks for staying in touch with us via our bloggers. -Tom Foth Parent http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/we_have_supporters_everywhere.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/we_have_supporters_everywhere.html Mon, 19 Jan 2009 07:44:37 -0500 Okay so it is Sunday night and the snow has started to fall again, and the football games are over (Pittsburgh won today so I am really happy) and I have just spent the past hour or so flipping between the channels of the TV stations whose cars I saw up at the High School earlier in the day around noon. Wow, I guess this event is BIG throughout the state, the “Send Off” was actually lead or near lead story in many cases for the local stations. And for the most part the stories are uplifting and wonderfully done. It is clear that more than the Trumbull kids are proud to be going down to DC, it is clear that Connecticut is really proud to have a representative High School like Trumbull High playing in this “once in a lifetime” parade. Sure these kids are from Trumbull and one town in Connecticut may be really proud, but more than that these kids are from Connecticut and as such represent all the towns in the state. In all the T.V. interviews are the shots of proud parents, the faces of the kids and parents who were being interviewed for television are glowing with excitement. Everyone is smiling, and although I have heard comments like "how do these kids appear so cool in front of the TV cameras and reporters?" I don't know how to answer that question (I'm not sure Mr. Horton knows the answer to that question), but they do it. And I can guarantee you that these interviews are not coached or rehearsed, they are spontaneous and every kid seems to want to participate. These interviews just happen like clockwork, and the kids pull off the interviews like pros - cool, calm and collected. Very much like how the High School students plan to play for the next President on Tuesday afternoon - cool, calm, collected and loud. And they will make us all proud once again. -MD http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/a_proud_day_to_be_a_resident_o.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/a_proud_day_to_be_a_resident_o.html Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:17:19 -0500 After stepping onto the bus leaving to D.C., it was an overwhelming feeling realizing that we were going to spin for President Barack Obama. Knowing I will be a part of history by seeing the first African American President take the oath is all unreal. Although this feeling is overwhelming, it is also very exciting to spin infront of millions of people on the side on the streets, cheering for you, while more millions of people are watching you on live television. Being in the hotel seems like any other band trip, but I know that when I go tour Washington D.C., that this once in a lifetime chance is actually happening. Being here is a whole different feel from Trumbull, and it is a feeling that I would love to experience again. -Brooke, Color guard, 2009 -Stephanie, Color guard, 2012 http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/a_once_in_a_lifetime_opportuni.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/a_once_in_a_lifetime_opportuni.html Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:45:45 -0500 9:23AM and I look out my window to see snow. Groggy, I get myself ready and move quite sluggishly to the car. It didn't really hit me until I arrived on the coach bus. There were 3 TV cameras, but a moment I'll have captured in my memory forever was the "last" hug goodbye between my friend and her father. What a Kodak moment. After a long bus ride filled with 2 awesome movies, we pulled up to the hotel. It's really a chic place; the beauty's within. We had a grueling band practice at UD in the snow, meaning, I basically froze my fingers up. But all the chaos was worth it when we arrived at the local Ruby Tuesday's :) . They have good cake. Anyway, off to bed. Tomorrow's gonna be a big day. -Katherine, Flute, 2010 http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/day_uno.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/day_uno.html Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:36:31 -0500 This morning I woke up at 9 because I was so nervous. I packed up the rest of my stuff and went to the High school. I was the first one to get my luggage checked and went on the bus. As I sat there on my own I thought about how we'd be making history! The first black president! Not only the history, but this will be a memory that will stay for us forever. Being an 8th grader I'd have a memory that none of my senior class will have. This will be a exicting and nervous adventure for all of us. -Rachael Clarinet 2013 http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/history_to_be_made.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/history_to_be_made.html Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:26:21 -0500 Today we left at 12 for Delaware where we will wait until Tuesday for the Inauguration. When we were leaving all the support we had from the parents felt amazing, it finally set in that wow, we are going to play for the President! We arrived to Delaware and settled, then we went to practice in the snow at the University of Delaware It was amazing. I am looking forward for tomarrow, we are going to the city and are visiting all the memorials, I can not wait. - Victoria Piccolo 2010 http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/my_trip_to_the_inauguration.html http://forum.connpost.com/trumbullband/2009/01/my_trip_to_the_inauguration.html Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:16:15 -0500