After second semester finals wrap up this spring, the band will take a trip to Hawaii from May 24 to May 30. All band members have the opportunity to attend. The band goes on a major trip every four years, alternating between Hawaii and Ireland.

Director of Bands Ms. Kathy McCullough described the trip. She said, “We have a performance near Pearl Harbor, next to the USS Missouri. Students will tour harbor, get to see the ship and get to see the memorial. We’ll try to speak with a Pearl harbor survivor. It’s a lot of history, and there’s a lot of people there who will get to see us perform outside the battleship.” 

Students will also get a tour of the battleship. McCullough said that visiting Pearl Harbor sites is an educational experience for students. “The history there is just phenomenal. Students’ grandparents or great grandparents were in WWII. This is really a good way to see the history that is still here,” she said. 

The band does not only perform near the USS Missouri. McCullough said, “We do another performance later that day in downtown Oahu at a bandstand.”

The band will be practicing for their two standstill concerts once per seven day cycle until the trip. 

Band members also get to experience typical Hawaiian tourist activities. McCullough said, “We’ll be on Maui also. We are touring some of the historic towns on Maui, and (students) will get to go snorkeling or swimming.”

Band members participate in several fundraising events in order to raise money for their trip to Hawaii. McCullough said, “We have a booth at Lucas Oil, so for Colts games parents and students over 16 can work and earn money. We had beef house rolls, apple butter and jams sales. Kids who sold raffle tickets got a little bit from that if they did band on it. We had band bingo at the Northside Social Club, where people play bingo and there is a silent auction where people bid money for different items.”

By going to Hawaii, the band is giving the opportunity to perform in events far different from sports games. McCullough said, “It’s a trip that you don’t get to make all the time. I like to give the band experiences where they perform off the hill. It’s great for the kids to see band trips that are big like Ireland and Hawaii.”

Not only do band members get to perform in a real world situation, they are given travel experience. McCullough said, “When I was in high school we traveled. We went on a trip every year, and I just loved that. The opportunity to give the students to travel on an airplane, in two different cities, in hotels, to plan and save money. It’s learning how to do real life things in a safe environment with your friends.”