When it comes to practice, the Legacy High School band is all business. Once the group of 190 students steps onto the pavement in the school parking lot, not only are they expected to rehearse flawlessly by band director Clay Stansberry, but also by themselves.
It’s not uncommon to see a student drop down and do pushups after missing a beat or a step. This hardcore dedication to perfection is part of the band’s preparation for the Rose Parade on Jan. 1, 2015 in Pasadena, California. The band was notified last October of the honor, and ever since then has been busy spending hours practicing and more hours raising money for the trip. It will cost about $1,900 per student to attend.
Students have been selling batteries, chocolate bars and peaches and now are in a major push to sell raffle tickets for a 2014 Jeep Cherokee or $20,000, the choice left up to the winner, which will be announced during the Legacy Marching Festival on Sept. 27. The band is hoping to raise $125,000 from the raffle, which is just a portion of the $500,000 needed for all students, staff and equipment to get to California
“The raffle is the big one, which will be spread to all the kids, unlike the other fundraisers where what each kid made, went into their personal trip account,” said Lori White, co-fundraising chair and band student parent. “What each kid doesn’t fundraise, parents will be picking up. Some kids have to raise their entire trip, so they’ve been working so hard over that past couple months to earn this money.”
Tickets are $25 apiece and the goal is to sell 5,000 tickets. White said tickets can be purchased online at http://legacybands.org or from any Legacy Band student. Some students are walking door to door in attempt to sell tickets or spending their Sundays at King Soopers in Broomfield selling tickets to customers.
For Kyra Larks it hasn’t been easy earning her trip money, but she’s willing to do what it takes to get to California.
“I’ve been going door to door selling raffle tickets and it’s been tough,” she said. “But it’s exciting to go to California and play in the Rose Parade, especially as a freshman, to the work is worth it.”
As 2014 continues to winds down, the Legacy High School band will be gearing up for their trip to the west coast. Stansberry said he’s proud of the work his students have put in preparing for the parade.
“We’re the only high school from the Western United States to be chosen for the parade, so we’re actually representing all of Colorado and all of the western part of the country,” he said. “It’s a great accomplishment for the students.”
