“I think the best part about all of this is just the immediate attention that music education is getting,” said Marsh-Myers.
Sometimes band programs can be overshadowed by athletics, she said, but the parades focus on showcasing the work the teachers are doing for music education.
The program was founded in honor of a Pickerington band teacher, Mike Sewell, who died in 2017. Shortly after his death, his family created the Michael D. Sewell Foundation, which sponsors the Band Directors Marching Band to travel to the two parades they have marched in so far – the Rose Parade in 2022 and the upcoming Macy’s Day Parade.
Bukosky, who plays saxophone, and Marsh-Myers, who plays clarinet, marched in both parades. Both said it was an incredible experience.
“I told everyone I felt like a rock star,” Bukosky said.
Marsh-Myers said more than a million people were on the parade route the first mile of the parade.
“The amount of crowd support we had was just amazing,” she said.
Because the teachers who march in the band are all over the U.S., the teachers have to learn the music and steps by themselves and will only be able to practice together once they all travel next Sunday. There will only be a few practices before the big day on Thursday.
Bukosky said the program has given her a way to connect with other band directors all over the country.
“I’m really excited to see all those people again because I already I know there are a lot of people that I marched with at the Rose Parade, they’re going to be there,” she said. “Just making those connections with people is huge.”
Bukosky said it also is a way for her to connect with her students.
“I also want to show my school district and our kids, hey, you know, I can still do this with you,” she said.
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