Friday, November 27, 2009

Ballou Marching Band

Ballou High School is fairly well known, notorious even in the DC area. The school made the news several times in 2004 when they closed down a few times and experienced violence. People called for the school to be just shut down. But of course, if you have ever found yourself attached to a group getting news coverage, you know it is only the extremes that make the news. So, now it's time for the other extreme.
Ballou has a marching band. The seniors in the marching band always graduate (sadly that is not the case for the rest of the senior class at Ballou.)
The marching band is the subject of a documentary. They have been featured on "The Ellen Degeneres Show". They marched in the Inaugural Parade. And they were asked to appear in the Rose Bowl parade. (And I recommend that article, it explains very eloquently about the value the band is providing. In fact I want to send it to everyone who suggest cutting music programs.)
And now, they were the first DC school band ever to appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.