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the new lenox patriot | April 25, 2019 | 3
LW Marching Band picked to play
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
SEAN HASTINGS, Editor
Most of the Lincoln-
Way Marching Band
members believed playing
the Rose Parade was going
to be the peak of their
career.
And it easily could have
been, but Monday night,
April 15, it was announced
that the band would be
playing in New York City
for the Macy’s Thanksgiving
Day Parade in 2020.
When Wesley Whatley,
creative producer for Macy’s,
told the packed Lincoln-Way
East auditorium
the news, the place erupted.
Students shared hugs and
some tears, seeing that in
just 18 months, their band
will be playing on one of
the biggest stages in the
country.
“I was incredibly surprised,
but I think that all of
our hard work is paying off
and I think it’ll be amazing
to show our passion for
marching band coming to
life in front of a bunch of
people,” East sophomore
Josie LaPapa said. “It’s going
to be on television. It’s
wild. I’m just excited.”
Only the band’s directors
knew of the special news
prior to the announcement.
The band held its usual
end-of-the-year meeting to
look back on what it did
and look forward to what’s
to come and that is when
Whatley surprised everyone
with the announcement.
Lincoln-Way East Band
Director Bert Johnson said
he and the other directors
just laughed when they got
the call to tell them they
were one of nine bands
and one of six high school
bands selected to play in
Lincoln-Way West Band Director Justin Barnish (left
to right), East Band Director Bert Johnson, Creative
Producer for Macy’s Wesley Whatley, West Band
Director Cary Ruklic and Central Band Director Chris
Mroczek pose together after announcing April 15 that
the Lincoln-Way Marching Band had been invited to
perform in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Sean Hastings/22nd Century Media
the parade.
“[Whatley] called me,
and I saw the New York
number, and thought I better
answer it, and he did the
same thing he did here. He
said, ‘This is Wesley Whatley
and I’m calling to tell
you that you are...’ and I
jumped,” Johnson said.
Lincoln-Way West Band
Director Justin Barnish
said it is testament to how
hard the students work.
“I could not be more
proud,” he said.
There are over 100 applicants
to play in the parade
that come from high
schools, colleges, military
and other organizations.
Whatley said Lincoln-
Way’s participation in the
Rose Parade helped keep
the them on the radar for
the lengthy selection process.
All judges look at each
band’s field performance
and grade it based on tenation,
marching and maneuvering,
and overall storytelling.
Then they all get
into one room, compare
their scores and fight for
the bands they think are
most deserving.
“We want programs who
know how to travel and
have already represented
their local community in
big events,” Whatley said.
“In particular with the Rose
Parade, we watched that
footage and this band in
particular. Their uniform
is redesigned and that is
unique to this program and
not all [bands] can figure
this out.”
Whatley said the process
takes about four-tosix
weeks to judge and
decide on the parade’s
participants. Lincoln-Way
submitted their application
Feb. 1.
Unfortunately because
of the timing of the parade,
this year’s juniors and seniors
will have graduated
by Thanksgiving 2020 and
Please see Band, 5
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