New Year's London Parade (USA DM)

I have been Tracy High School's drum major for just over a year, and I will be entering my senior year here at THS. Tracy High's Marching Band program has been referred to as the Pride of Tracy Marching band due to our dedication to each other as well as our motivation for success. In my one year of being a drum major I have been tasked with the responsibilities of learning to lead parades, conduct full ensembles, as well as demonstrating the proper leadership skills associated with having such important roles in the band. This summer I was fortunate enough to attend the United Spirit Association's Drum Major camp at CSU East Bay where we learned many techniques useful for fulfilling my role in my band. Coming into the camp I had some experience with how to properly execute the basic functions that I would need to perfect. By the end of camp I was awarded the highest possible ranking in all technical evaluations with the title of "superior." While this title does carry weight, my ability to convey complex emotion in musical compositions, spin a full sized mace while including challenging maneuvers and techniques, as well as my abilities to find and keep steady rhythm and patterns in complex musical literature has proven to be the biggest benefit from the course. On the final day of camp, an award ceremony was carried out in which they awarded drum majors who went above and beyond in categories of technique, discipline, charisma, leadership, and overall skill. I was very honored to be able to receive some of the most prestigious levels of praise in all categories sought out in a drum major. On top of all of the awards I had received, the USA Staff awarded me with the highest honor possible in their whole program; the All-American title. This award gave me and a few other select drum majors an invitation to march in the London New Year's Parade for the upcoming year. This trip would give us drum majors the honor of representing our country, the United Spirit Association, as well as our own schools, in the televised parade in downtown London. Your donation would help me pay for the chance to receive this incredible honor. The cost is provided by the company and includes tours of major historical monuments including Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace, airfare and other transportation, as well as prepaid meal vouchers which would cover breakfast and one other meal daily. I’ve set up this GoFundMe in the hopes that those of you that want to can help me raise the $3270 required to get me to London by October 4th. Your consideration is greatly appreciated as I try to make this dream a reality, however it is centered during an inconvenient time financially as I am now needing to purchase my first car, as well as pay for other Senior expenses. I would be very grateful for any help you can provide as I work through my senior year. Thank you for making my last year of high school, and the beginning of my adult life, a fruitful time with the experience of going to Great Britain!