PASADENA, Calif. — More than 200 kids are in California with their bandmates and everyone will get some sort of “first.” They flew a chartered jet to the Sunshine State, they’ve got trips planned to Disneyland and the Reagan Library, and, in the middle of all that, they will march the five miles of the Rose Parade.
Band director Scott Hillock hopes they carry the memory for a lifetime.
"Oh yeah. We’ve been reminding them of that the entire trip, that you should enjoy this," Hillock said.
Just like the roses in the parade, this didn’t come about overnight. Hillock says the application process took months. They sent the committee pictures of their uniforms, videos of previous performances, and more. The application is open to anyone, and Hillock says, a lot of bands take advantage. Bands from the collegiate levels, overseas, and more.
"For a high school band to get selected, is a huge honor. It’s a great honor for our school, our parents, our students, our community, it’s a very big deal," Hillock said.
The Trojan band competed against those bands for a spot in the Rose Parade, but every day, they are competing with bands in Green Country.
"There are several bands in the [Tulsa] area that are on the national stage for marching band and concert band, and we’re one of them," Hillock said.
Competition – that makes them better. The Trojan Pride is one of less than two dozen bands selected for the parade.
"Our kids hold that in a healthy way. Competition can be destructive if it’s used the wrong way, but our kids use it the right way," Hillock said.
The private jet, the adults in charge of more than two hundred high school students, the hotel rooms, the dedication: all come from the support of the people surrounding the band.
"It’s a community thing. This is not just me, it’s not just the band directors, it’s not just the band, this is Jenks, this is the Jenks schools, its teachers, staff, administration. It’s an honor to be able to do that and represent all those different facets as well," Hillock said.
This is not their first rodeo. Eight years ago the Jenks band marched in their first Rose Parade. Hillock hopes he can use the lessons he learned then to make this the best trip possible.
The Rose Parade will air on 2 News Oklahoma, Jan. 1 at 10 a.m.
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