Following its show-stopping performance at U.S. President Barack Obama’s historic inauguration last Tuesday, FAMU’s Marching 100 headed to Atlanta for Honda’s seventh annual Battle of the Bands Invitational Showcase. As the event came to a close, the band headed back for Tallahassee with $20,000.
Honda doubled the amount of money that it awarded to the ten bands invited to participate this year. Edward Waters College, Fayetteville State University, Jackson State University, Kentucky State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, Texas Southern University, Tuskegee University and Virginia State University rounded out the list of HBCUs that made the cut. Among them, the Marching 100 was the only one that had been invited to play in the Inaugural Parade.
Additionally, FAMU Band President Ralph Jean Paul, a music education student from Miami, was picked as one of the two winners of the Fox Music Experience. His prize: a summer job working on the Twentieth Century Fox studio lot in Los Angeles, where he’ll learn film and television music production first hand.
Jean Paul said that his decision to attend FAMU was the best choice he’s ever made.
More than 50,000 HBCU friends, fans, students and alumni traveled from all around the country to take part in the 2009 Honda Battle of the Bands.
Hubba HUNDRED! Hubba Ralph!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations HUNDRED & good luck to you, Mr. Paul. I'm also happy that you chose FAMU. You are indeed a class act and thanks for all you've contributed to our great university, FAMU.
ReplyDeleteIf it cost you -20,000 to go,
ReplyDeleteYou bring back +20,000,
The members were out of school for 1 week,
What does that =
(Priceless?)
Thousands of potential FAMU freshmen saw the band perform and said: "I want to go to THAT school!"
ReplyDeleteThe recruitment value of the trip goes far beyond the travel costs.
12:46- www.getyousomebusiness.com
ReplyDelete1:41 PM, I agree with you. I live in Atlanta and I know first hand that FAMU did some big time recruiting in Atlanta during the Battle of The Bands weekend. Dr. Ammons, Mr. & Miss FAMU (Omari Crawford & Amanda Byrd), and other university student leaders entertained National Merit Scholars & other high achievers that weekend. So $20,000 is a small investment for such big rewards that the university will reap. One lady's 10th grader was so impressed with FAMU. She can't wait to enroll. They're planning a visit in April.
ReplyDeleteI assume 12:46 is including the time spent at President Obama's inauguration as part of the week of absence. So to answer the question what does that equal, " a lifetime of great memories, a once in a lifetime event, an educational opportunity few will ever experience, an interesting topic to share with recruiters and on graduate school applications, a great sense of personal and group accomplishment, instillation of pride in one's alma mater, up close and personal witness to history, time shared with family and friends."
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking that 12:46 is a very young, inexperienced person. People who have lived long enough to gain some sophistication around education realize that life's greatest lessons are often not printed in Addison-Wesley editions.
Hubba "100" & Ralph, for a job "well done". (12:46)?? Castell- is that U??? "Get over it"!!!!!
ReplyDelete"100" 83- Hollywood-Hood"
12:46pm,
ReplyDeleteWho said that it cost $20,000 to go to ATL? The Honda corp actually foots the bill for ALL the participants' expenses.
I think the 100 should do a annual report dispelling the myths that band members don't have at least a 2.0. They should let the world know that they are graduating in four years and that there are not band members older than 25 marching every Saturday. We need to let future band members know that most of the majority black schools band directors are FAMU graduates. Since TCC and FSU students can march in the band we need to have recruiting packets on their campuses as well. Just a friendly suggestion to let everyone know that we don't have a bunch of dumb old heads marching that have less than 4.0, especially since Cassie said that the couldn't march if they didn't have the grades. This is just another way to prove her wrong
ReplyDelete