The Reynoldsburg High School Raider Marching Pride performed at the 2018 Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 1. The band is pictured here at Raymond James Stadium where South Carolina defeated Michigan 26-19 in the bowl game.
The Reynoldsburg High School Raider Marching Pride displayed their musical and marching skills at the 2018 Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.,
Nearly 100 Reynoldsburg High School band students from grades 9-12, along with band staff, chaperones and families, left on Dec. 28 on tour buses to perform at the Outback Bowl and returned on Jan. 2, according to Valerie Wunder, communications director for Reynoldsburg City Schools.
Besides partaking in Outback Bowl festivities, they also enjoyed time at Disney World, Clearwater Beach, and rang in the New Year at Busch Gardens.
Wunder said the band spent New Year’s Day performing in the Outback Bowl halftime show as a part of the Brightspark Festival of Bands. Bands who consistently perform at the highest level for a number of years, are invited to represent their district, city and state. For the 19 high school bands participating, this show is the culmination of four days of performances and competitions that include a concert band, jazz band, parade band, and field show competition along with marching in the Outback Bowl Parade on New Year’s Eve in Ybor City (a neighborhood of Tampa).
Reynoldsburg competed in both the concert and parade band contests and brought home third place trophies for both competitions.
The trip was financed by the students and their families as well as the Reynoldsburg Band Boosters, according to Wunder. Students used personal funds and participated in multiple fundraisers including a pancake breakfast, basket raffle, car washes and more.There were several corporate and individual donors that provided funds for meals and activities on the trip.
“We would like to thank the Reynoldsburg community and other generous donors for their help and support in making this trip possible for our students,” said Wunder.
Added Jason Gibson, Director of Bands for Reynoldsburg Schools, “This trip was a great example of how these students, their parents, and this community believe in the importance of this program and the critical role music education plays in school. Our students performed exceptionally well in Florida, and represented our school and community with pride and excellence.”
To see a live stream of the band’s halftime show performance, along with other videos and pictures from the trip, visit https://www.facebook.com/ReynoldsburgBandBoosters/ .
