Reno high school band appears in inauguration parade

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, Jan. 20, 2005 | 11:09 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Nevada's only entry in today's inauguration parade almost didn't make it to Washington -- three times.

In early December, the students of Reno's McQueen High School marching band worried the Presidential Inaugural Committee would not approve their application because they missed a performance at a Bush campaign rally. The band had sought to play at a Bush event in Reno in October, but school officials barred the appearance because district policy bans school groups from political events.

"That made most of us pretty mad," said Ryan Spreeman, a junior baritone horn player. "We held a pep rally and met with (the superintendent)."

But after a few anxious weeks, the band got the call to be part of the traditional march down Pennsylvania Avenue. That led to the students fearing that they wouldn't be able to raise about $160,000 needed for the trip.

"But instead of panicking the whole band parent group went into action," said Criss Matossian, band parent association president, who helped lead a fundraising drive.

Students raised $13,000 in a door-to-door drive. Thanks to a few last-minute corporate donations just a few days before Christmas, the students collected enough to make the journey.

The 122 students in the band were "ecstatic," director Rick Moffit said.

In a final setback, bad weather grounded the group at the Reno airport on Tuesday. After some frantic rescheduling, the students flew out on three different flights, some arriving in Baltimore in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. One group of students took a bus from Reno to Sacramento to catch a flight to the East Coast.

Today the band made its way to the Pentagon, where the massive Defense Department parking lot was a staging ground for the parade.

In the first inauguration since Sept. 11, 2001, high school band students were the subject of high-security scrutiny. The band was told that even instruments, including trombone slides and drum heads, would be examined by security officials.

The band was the only inauguration parade entry from Nevada among 80 acts from 50 states -- bands, dance acts, clowns, jugglers and floats -- in the post-oath procession that follows the president from the Capitol to the White House. They played the tune, "Main Street America."

One other group from Nevada, the Douglas High School Marching Band from from Minden in Northern Nevada, participated in inauguration festivities, but was not marching in the parade. The Douglas band played at a spot near the parade route.

The honor of representing the state in the parade made the difficult journey worth it, the Reno band students and parents said.

"The kids are resilient," assistant principal Susan Denning said. "They were determined to have a good time."