Memorial Day

Over Memorial Day weekend our performing arts department took our students (152 of them) on a trip to Philadelphia. We got to do some sight-seeing, we had clinics with professional musicians in that area, and we did a performance on the Battleship New Jersey. Wonderful students, super star chaperones, and an amazing group of teachers and directors.

This performance, out of all of the performances I’ve done in my career, was one of the most meaningful. We played right on the deck of the ship. This ship had been to war. People had died on it. And people stood in the spot we were playing, wondering if they would ever see home again. I felt so fortunate, this Memorial Day weekend, that I had the privilege of taking my students to this place. I wish the people feeling doubt those years ago could have had a glimpse of the future - their ship as a museum, and a group of happy kids playing a medley of old American songs on a beautiful spring day.