In the midst of winter break – and the middle of Tuesday night -- Ravenwood High School’s band embarked on a five-day trip to Dallas, Texas to perform during the 2010 AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic on Saturday.

 

“The concert band, wind symphony, wind ensemble and marching band are going,” Steve Klintworth, the band’s vice president, said. All of the 122 band members attending, including Ravenwood’s color guard, left just after midnight.

 

The trip’s full itinerary should leave only moments to spare. The students will perform, compete and take part in a number of fun and educational activities throughout the Dallas area.    

 

The first stop today is Six Flags Over Texas theme park in Arlington, Texas.

 

Following a day of roller coasters and funnel cakes, the band will begin Thursday’s busy schedule with an early morning practice. “Then, we are going to The Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, which is where Oswald shot JFK, and then a concert and wind orchestra competition, where the band will perform,” Klintworth shared.

 

That night, the students have been invited to Southfork Ranch for a New Year’s Eve dance and celebration, during which an award ceremony will be held for the day’s earlier competition. The ranch, located near the city of Plano, was home to TV’s long-running nighttime soap opera, Dallas.

 

On Friday, the band will march in the Cotton Bowl Parade through downtown and go to dinner and a rodeo in Fort Worth that night.

 

But the highlight of the nearly week-long trip takes place on Saturday, when the band performs during half time at the Cotton Bowl with 10 other high school bands from across the country, according to Klintworth.

 

A number of fundraising events held throughout the year, beginning as early as January, made the trip possible.

 

“The band members sold food, grocery store coupons and worked at LP Field during the Titans games and at the Williamson County Fair,” Klintworth said. In addition, “We have the annual ‘Christmas Tree Pickup Service,’ where students collect live trees to take to recycling centers to help fund the trip.”

 

Since late November, the band has rehearsed twice a week in preparation. “It’s going to be a real learning experience for the kids, and there was lots of parent involvement. It’s a big trip, and we want to thank the community for all of their help,” Klintworth said.

 

In past years, the Ravenwood band has traveled to Tampa, Fla., Chicago, Ill. and Carmel, Ind.