Pinkston High School’s band will represent the State of Texas in the 2017 National Memorial Day Parade.
Congressman Michael Burgess nominated the band after seeing their Veterans Day performance where they placed third out of nearly 100 bands.
Osley Cook, the band’s director, says he is thrilled for the opportunity for his students. When he began his director position seven years ago, the band had five members who could hardly read music. Major college band programs in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Georgia are now recruiting the school’s talented band members.
While the students love to play for their community, they are no longer confined to staying there: band has opened up the rest of America for them.
Cook last year took the band to Atlanta, Georgia, and it was mind blowing for many of them.
“Our students have traditionally had a limited vision,” he said. “Getting to go to Washington D.C. as teenagers will give them a whole different world view.”
“I am very excited about going to D.C.,” added senior and drum major Pedro Garcia. “No one really expects you to leave the neighborhood, much less go out of the state to our nation’s capitol. It will be an amazing trip.”
The band plans on taking approximately 80 students to Washington D.C. More than 400,000 people will attend the parade, which will also be televised nationwide.
