The Hawthorne High School Marching Band went on its annual trip on May 15, 2013. This year the band went to Chicago, Illinois, to participate in the Music in the Parks competition. The HHS band won first place in their Division 1 Parade category.
Before the competition on Saturday, the band had two days of sight-seeing and a practice performance. On Thursday, Robert Dubois HHS band director arranged to have a tour guide to show the band around. The guide showed the band parts of Chicago, including Lake Michigan, before heading to the Shedd Aquarium. After leaving the aquarium, the band went shopping around the Chicago area, had dinner at Ed Debevic’s, and then went to the hotel for the evening.
On Friday, the band had breakfast and departed the hotel for the Willis Tower (Sears Tower Sky-deck) to see the great view from 103 floors above Chicago. Then the band traveled to the Lincoln Park Zoo to do a performance for visitors to the zoo. The band then spent some time at the Navy Pier and received a tour of Millennium Park. For dinner, the band traveled to Tommy Guns Garage. While the band was having fun at Tommy Guns, they were entertained with a show about the Prohibition in the 1920s. The band departed back to the hotel to prepare for the competition the next day.
Finally, on Saturday, the band performed their parade routine while playing American March Classics at Woodland Middle School. While waiting for the results of the competition, the bank visited Six Flags Great America to spend a few hours on rides. Later that afternoon, the band members walked to the Southwest Amphitheater for the results of the competition. When the Parade category was called, the HHS band was happy to hear that they had earned a superior rating (first place) and another trophy of Overall Best for their category. Eric Nickel, senior Drum Captain said, “I’m happy that we won. We had a tough competition, but we did it. I’m really sad that this was my last year because it has been one of my favorite moments of my high school career. I love the band, and I’m so proud to be drum captain this year, it has been an awesome five years.”
Senior Drum Major Mackenzie Sanint stated, “I was thrilled to hear that our band received first place. I’m sad that this was my last band trip but I’m glad that we finished with a bang. I’m also proud that I am one of the Drum Majors for the band and that we were able to get first place of Superior rating and an overall best. The band members should be proud of themselves.”
Senior Drum Major, Mathew Fenkart, said, “I am sad that this was my last band trip, but the memories I have from this band trip will last a life time.”