St. Patrick’s Day March 17, 2013
The Fort Mill High School Band has been invited to perform in the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, Ireland. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the culmination of Dublin’s five-day St. Patrick’s Festival. More than half a million people line the 2.6 km parade route and millions more watch the parade on television. Only eight American bands are selected to march in this parade.
Dollars for Dublin: In order to make this trip family affordable, the student price has been set at $1,000. Actual trip costs are approximately $1,700 per student. Students will have opportunities to earn points toward their portion of the expense. Scholarship funds are also available. The band booster club is committed to raising the remaining $700 per student through the Dollars for Dublin campaign.
Educational Value: Representing SC and the United States in one of Europe’s oldest parades would be both an honor and an exceptional learning experience for our students. Our time in Dublin would be—for most students—their first trip to Europe. In addition to the parade, participating bands select other venues (cathedrals, town squares, historical sites) for performances. Dublin provides a rich historical context for our students to learn about Celtic, Gaelic, and Irish culture.
Highest standards: While planning for this exciting and prestigious opportunity to represent our community abroad, the Fort Mill HS Band is committed to maintaining the highest competitive standards. More than 150 exceptional Fort Mill High School students participate in Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Marching Band, Color Guard, Winter Guard, and Winter Percussion. This represents 10% of the entire student body! Our Marching Band has reigned as State Champion 23 times since 1976 and was most recently awarded a Bands of America Regional Championship in 2011. Our concert bands are consistently awarded the highest designations possible; and students throughout our program compete against top-ranked groups in the state and the nation. The time commitment required of these students is unparalleled to any other extracurricular high school activity. Band Students devote hundreds of hours preparing, practicing, performing and competing with a strong focus on teamwork, discipline, leadership and musicality.
The self-discipline, determination and diligence required to perform at such high levels are traits that are transferred into a lifetime of effective work habits and excellent citizenship. But this travel opportunity and our program will simply not be possible without your support.
If you or your company would like to help, email us at sponsorship@fortmillhsband.com or donate below.
Thanks for helping our students achieve their goals and continue the tradition of music excellence at Fort Mill High School!