CONGRESSMAN ALAN GRAYSON PROUDLY SERVING FLORIDA’S 8th DISTRICT

Posted by the Orlando Sentinel

July 4, 2011, could be a thrilling day for the Eustis High School Panther Band.

The band was recently notified that it is one of five Central Florida high-school bands nominated by U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D- Orlando, to perform in the Fourth of July Parade in Washington, D.C. If chosen, the Panthers will join 19 other high-school bands from across the country in the parade.

"It is a tremendous honor to be nominated for an event such as this parade in our nation's capital," said David Harden, Eustis High director of bands. "And to be the only band in Lake County nominated just makes this honor even more special."

Spectators jam Constitution Avenue annually for the Independence Day parade.

Because Florida will not be represented by a high school band in this year's parade Grayson decided for 2011 to nominate the maximum number of bands, which is five.

The other nominees are Colonial High School and Cypress Creek High School, both in Orlando; Lake Weir High School in Marion County; and West Orange High School in Winter Garden.

A national selection committee will review the nominees' overall quality, as well as geographic, ethnic and stylistic diversity. Bands selected to make the trip to our nation's capitol will be notified in early 2011.

"It would be a tremendous honor to be chosen to go to Washington and would certainly be the biggest honor of my career, as well as the biggest event in my students' careers," said Harden, band director since fall of 2008.

The 66 members of the Panther Band play flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, French horns, trombones, euphoniums, tubas, percussion and perform in a color guard.

"The band has been invited to perform at numerous locations over the history of this school, but I don't think anything as prestigious as the Fourth of July Parade in Washington," Harden said.

Bands would be required to pay all their expenses.

If the Panthers are chosen, Harden said most likely the school will hold several fundraisers, and possibly look for corporate sponsors to help defray costs.

"Eustis is a struggling town just like any other and we would need some serious help in order for us to go…," he said.