Millennium High School’s marching band made history over Fall Break by achieving second place in the Field Show USA, a marching festival on the White House Ellipse Lawn in Washington, D.C. This great achievement has the entire band celebrating, but the trip was just the beginning of the band’s rise to success.

The band still has numerous competitions and parades during the season, and many members feel the trip has surged their perseverance. “Now that the trip is in the past, it’s time to move on to the next focuses which are the upcoming competitions,” says senior Nik Neider.

During the trip to D.C., the band not only performed, but also had the pleasure of visiting our Nation’s Capital’s monuments and attractions. The Jefferson, Lincoln, Iwo Jima and World War II Memorials, the Capitol building, and Arlington Cemetery were just some of the major sight-seeing opportunities the band had. At Arlington Cemetery, the band saw the prestigious Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, along with the Kennedys’ gravesites.

The band also visited the Smithsonian museums and the Holocaust Museum. For some band members, the learning experiences were the most rewarding parts of the trip. “Being around so much history, there was a lot to learn,” says junior Angela Nagle.

The Field Show USA originally intended on showcasing 15 bands, but only five could afford to attend. Woodbridge High School from California received first place, Sheffield High School from Alabama received third, Centennial High School from Georgia received fourth, and Blanche Ely High School from Florida received fifth place. “I really think the other bands deserved to be there too. They worked just as hard as us,” says sophomore drum major Nick Cyr. 

The competition was held in the shadow of the White House, which the band also had the honor to tour, a difficult and exclusive process that took months notice. Following the competition, the performing bands boarded boats on the Potomac River and set off on dinner cruises, where they mingled and got to bond with other band members from across the nation.

Adam Malik, the band’s director, is very pleased with the work ethic the band put into the trip. “This is a stepping point for the band. It helped us get to the next level. At the end of the day, we did a great job.”

What does all of this mean for the band now? Each band member has a different view as to how the trip and success in D.C. has changed the future of the program.

“This adventure bonded us together as a band and I think it put us on the map for future years to come,” says senior drum major Kaley Qualters.

Freshman Addy Williams looks forward to her years in band to come, knowing that “Now when people hear ‘Millennium Marching Tiger Pride’ they will recognize us.”

The future of the Marching Tiger Pride, after its second place success in Washington, D.C., can be best summed up by senior Blake Garvin: “All four years of hard work were worth it. Seniors carried the torch, and now it’s time to pass it on.”