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Washington Community High School junior Dani Boley received an early Christmas present this year — a trip to New York City with a price tag for about $1,500.
Boley traveled to New York, along with classmate and friend Paige Zimmerman, and more than 200 student musicians from around the country, to march in the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as part of the parade’s Great American Marching Band.
“I helped to raise some of the money, but my parents paid for most of it,” Boley said. “It was my Christmas present.”
Boley said being part of the band and marching in the parade was worth giving up a few presents under the tree.
“I really enjoyed performing at Herold Square,” she said. “The parade itself was really long and I got a shin splint after a couple blocks, so it was quite painful for me for most of it.”
Still, Boley said she wouldn’t have missed the experience — one that only about 1,200 high school students have had in the band’s six-year run.
The Great American Marching Band was first formed in 2006. With about 2.5 million live spectators watching, the band led the 85th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year from Central Park to Herald Square. There, the band performed in front of Macy’s flagship for more than 50 million TV viewers watching the broadcast on NBC.
For most it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but 2011 marked Zimmerman’s second year with the band.
“Compared to last year I wasn’t as nervous,” Zimmerman said. “Not to say I wasn’t nervous, but knowing what to expect and having Dani with me gave me a sense of (calm). Having one of the best friends I have ever had made this experience so much better.”
The girls arrived in New York Nov. 19 and quickly began practicing with the band under the direction of Dr. Richard Good and Dr. Jon Woods, directors of bands at Auburn University and Ohio State University, respectively.
Despite daily rehearsals, Boley and Zimmerman had time to see some of the sites in New York. They took in the 9/11 Memorial, spent time in Times Square and saw “Sister Act” on Broadway.
Zimmerman said the morning of Thanksgiving was her favorite part of the trip.
“Even with the rehearsal being at 2:30 in the morning and it being freezing, being out there and knowing that we would be performing in a few hours made it really exciting,” Zimmerman said. “And of course the parade itself was a lot of fun because we all had worked so hard all week for it and it was just awesome to reach the red ready line for the actual show.”
Washington Community High School junior Dani Boley received an early Christmas present this year — a trip to New York City with a price tag for about $1,500.
Boley traveled to New York, along with classmate and friend Paige Zimmerman, and more than 200 student musicians from around the country, to march in the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as part of the parade’s Great American Marching Band.
“I helped to raise some of the money, but my parents paid for most of it,” Boley said. “It was my Christmas present.”
Boley said being part of the band and marching in the parade was worth giving up a few presents under the tree.
“I really enjoyed performing at Herold Square,” she said. “The parade itself was really long and I got a shin splint after a couple blocks, so it was quite painful for me for most of it.”
Still, Boley said she wouldn’t have missed the experience — one that only about 1,200 high school students have had in the band’s six-year run.
The Great American Marching Band was first formed in 2006. With about 2.5 million live spectators watching, the band led the 85th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year from Central Park to Herald Square. There, the band performed in front of Macy’s flagship for more than 50 million TV viewers watching the broadcast on NBC.
For most it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but 2011 marked Zimmerman’s second year with the band.
“Compared to last year I wasn’t as nervous,” Zimmerman said. “Not to say I wasn’t nervous, but knowing what to expect and having Dani with me gave me a sense of (calm). Having one of the best friends I have ever had made this experience so much better.”
The girls arrived in New York Nov. 19 and quickly began practicing with the band under the direction of Dr. Richard Good and Dr. Jon Woods, directors of bands at Auburn University and Ohio State University, respectively.
Despite daily rehearsals, Boley and Zimmerman had time to see some of the sites in New York. They took in the 9/11 Memorial, spent time in Times Square and saw “Sister Act” on Broadway.
Zimmerman said the morning of Thanksgiving was her favorite part of the trip.
“Even with the rehearsal being at 2:30 in the morning and it being freezing, being out there and knowing that we would be performing in a few hours made it really exciting,” Zimmerman said. “And of course the parade itself was a lot of fun because we all had worked so hard all week for it and it was just awesome to reach the red ready line for the actual show.”
Members of the Great American Marching Band and the family members who made the trek to New York were invited to a Thanksgiving dinner at their hotel after the parade.
Although both Boley and Zimmerman said they enjoyed the experience, neither have plans to march in the parade in 2012.
“While it would be cool to go for a third year, I will not be applying,” Zimmerman said. “Our high school band is planning a big trip over Thanksgiving and I would rather take the opportunity to take a trip with my band here.”
“It’d almost be deja vu,” Boley said of making the trip a second time. “And then somebody else wouldn’t get to have the experience of going.
“It really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most people. It was an honor to be part of it.”
