Story & Photos Provided
A group of almost 180 Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) High School Band and Guard students, parents, and supporters along with HSE High School Principal, Mr. Reggie Simmons, recently returned from an educational and fun filled trip to Honolulu, Hawaii.
The highlight of the six-day trip was the band’s beautiful performance in front of the USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor for President’s Day Weekend. The performance included patriotic tunes, some Hawaiian-themed music, a medley to honor those that serve in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the classic Hoosier tune “Back Home Again in Indiana.” Guests visiting the USS Missouri or National Monuments at Pearl Harbor on Sunday, February 19 got to enjoy the HSE Band performance.
In addition to their time at Pearl Harbor, the group toured the Oahu Island and enjoy the beach at Secret Island, a hike at Diamond Head, a catamaran snorkeling adventure, a traditional luau, and more.
HSE High School worked with a travel company, Music Travel, that plans amazing performance and educational travel opportunities worldwide for groups like the HSE Band and Guard Program. The exciting announcement regarding the Hawaii destination was made about a year prior to the trip to allow the attendees some time to plan and fundraise.
The HSE Band Directors Audrey Torres and Ed Roush note that some of their favorite memories are traveling with music programs. They believe it is important to create these types of positive experiences for students to create camaraderie and encourage them to bring the universal language of music to audiences everywhere. It was a fantastic trip full of music, learning, new experiences, and friendships!
