THE PROMISE OF IOWA
by P. Hout
The Sibley – Ocheydan Band will be going on their band trip this year. The dates are set for July 19, 2020, through July 24, 2020. The destination for this trip is Boston, Massachusetts. This trip happens every four years and allows band students – from freshmen to seniors – to visit a location and be able to play at a location outside of Iowa.
The band is set to leave at seven A.M. on Sunday, July 19, 2020. They will drive through the night with occasional stops for stretch breaks and to get food. When the students arrive in Boston they will go to the Prudential Center for shopping and a late lunch before they head to the Skywalk Observatory and the Boda Borg. At the Boda Borg, they will be able to get transported into a real-world gaming environment where they will get to experience Questing. On Tuesday the band will attend a workshop and go on a whale-watching cruise in Boston Harbor. They will also get a tour of Fenway Park and go see a production of “Shear Madness” at Charles Playhouse.
On Wednesday, the band will walk parts of Freedom Trail and the jazz band and concert band will both have performances. The band will leave Boston Thursday morning and will visit John F. Kennedy Library, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the US Senate, and take a ferry ride to Salem, New York. They will arrive in Cleveland, Ohio and get to spend the day at Cedar Point Amusement Park before they return home.
Overall this band trip will allow the students to see an area of the United States that they may never see. They will also be able to learn new information and learn more about the history of Boston and the surrounding areas. The students will also be able to see many different historical sites while they are there.