GRANT REPORT - BISHOP UNION HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND + COLOR GUARD
“MMCF helps us every year with our trips to further the musical experiences of our students in the Owens Valley. Being in such a remote area, it is imperative that students leave and see the world. Music is a great vehicle to take them there and we appreciate MMCF being a cornerstone in our ability to achieve these goals.”
When Bishop Union High School Marching Band and Color Guard was nominated by Congressman Kevin Kiley to participate in the Memorial Day parade in Washington D.C., Band Director Ryan Mills knew this was an opportunity of a lifetime and would be both a musical and educational opportunity for his students. Many of these youth come from low-income families, with diverse backgrounds and some families had more than one child that would be participating. The fee for these families can be unattainable and so he got to work fundraising so that they could go!
The Band/Color Guard and their families, under Ryan’s direction, got busy. Along with a substantial contribution from Bishop Unified School District, they received over 31 donations from community members and businesses supporting this great opportunity. Still they were short and needed help. Ryan reached out to MMCF and applied for a grant, stating the details of this phenomenal trip, what sights they would see, where they would perform and how the trip would be executed.
For many students, this was their first time on an airplane, their first time leaving the state, or even their first time leaving the Eastern Sierra. This trip exposed students not only to the historical roots of the US, but to marching bands from throughout the country and a world-class orchestra. Ryan states, “We are proud to represent our Eastern Sierra community on the national stage. Obviously, this will be the trip of a lifetime for these kids, and they will surely bring back a greater appreciation of our country and its origins.”
We got a chance to catch up with Ryan and hear first hand how the trip went and what this group of youth from Bishop got to experience.
This trip to Washington, DC was an invitational event. While MMCF's donation went into a general fund for the trip, could you tell us some of the individual components that it contributed to and why it was so important to have grant dollars to help support this trip and experience of a lifetime for your students?
Our trip to Washington DC was packed! In addition to marching in the National Memorial Day Parade, which was the highlight of the trip, we were able to see many of the historic sites in the capitol via coach and with a dedicated tour guide who was with us the whole time. By paying for him, he gave us detailed information on the Jefferson Memorial, Ford's Theater, The White House, The Iwo Jima Marine Memorial, the RFK Memorial, the National Memorial Day Concert on the Capitol Lawn, and so much more. This grant helped to pay for our lodging, meals, and airfare for the trip as well, and it made the entire experience extremely affordable for our students, especially our low income families.
How did this grant improve the opportunities for the youth of Inyo County?
As far as I know, this is one of the biggest trips that the band has ever taken in past decades. Many of my students had never been on a plane before, so to travel across the United States was a big deal! Being on the West Coast, we sometimes can feel extremely removed from what happens all the way across the country, and so to take in sights and events that they have only read about in history books really brought the history of our country to life.
What other communities in the Eastern Sierra does Bishop Unified High School serve?
BUHS services students not only from Bishop, but the surrounding students as well. We have students from Big Pine, Benton, Chalfant, Round Valley and Paradise.
Can you tell us about the youth population that this program serves?
The BUHS band and color guard has students from all walks of life, from White to Native, Hispanic, South American, Pacific Islander. The band program is all inclusive. The band consists of freshmen through seniors, athletes, artists, high academic achievers and student government officials.
What historical sights and experiences did the students have the opportunity to see and be a part of?
While in DC, we saw an insane amount. Historic Washington, D.C., including a visit to Lafayette Square for a photo opportunity of the White House. The Lincoln, Korean, Martin Luther King, Jr., Vietnam, National World War II Memorial, a view of the outside of the Washington Monument, as well as the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. We saw Ford’s Theatre, the National Archives, to see the founding documents of
the United States – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Emancipation Proclamation followed by the National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, featuring the National Symphony Orchestra and broadcast live on PBS. We Visited and explored one or more of the Smithsonian Museums. (The most visited Smithsonian museums are: The National Museum of American History, The National Air and Space Museum, The National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History. We Visited Arlington National Cemetery and view a special Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier alongside the United States Army 3rd Infantry Regiment “The Old Guard”. Also visit the Welcome Center, the Kennedy Gravesites and the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame, the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial, the gravesite of Robert Todd Lincoln. I'm not sure how we fit all of this into three days, but let's just say the kids were exhausted by the end of each day.
You mentioned that there were many opportunities that your students got to experience along with representing BUHS and our Eastern Sierra community in the National Memorial Day Parade. Did this grant improve the lives of the students and add educational and personal growth components with an opportunity they might not otherwise have?
Absolutely! Frankly this trip would not have happened without this grant. The students of the BUHS Marching Band undoubtedly had their lives changed through this event. Some of them may never have the opportunity to visit our nation's capital again.
One of the highlights is that we had names of people who were on the Vietnam Memorial that were from Bishop and the Owens Valley. We were able to identify their names and I know this had a great impact on the kids. Myself included. The silence and respect that they showed told me that this was an impactful moment for them. To see people from our home on a war memorial was a sobering experience.
Are there any significant changes in the student population that attended this trip?
The students and myself will most likely never have the opportunity to march in a nationally televised parade again. That alone was life changing. I had people texting me back home with screenshots of the parade as they were watching on their TV. I had parents tell me they cried when they saw the band because it brought them so much pride. The students felt a great sense of accomplishment after, especially since we were not used to the humidity and it was a grueling parade route.
Is there anything that you would like to convey to MMCF donors?
Just our unending thanks. MMCF helps us every year with our trips to further the musical experiences of our students in the Owens Valley. Being in such a remote area, it is imperative that students leave and see the world. Music is a great vehicle to take them there and we appreciate MMCF being a cornerstone in our ability to achieve these goals.
