Lakota West to play Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

WEST CHESTER, Ohio - The Lakota West High School Marching Firebirds have been selected to march in the 2013 Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade . The news came during an assembly in the gymnasium Monday afternoon.

"We tried to keep this a secret," said Assistant Director of Bands, Phil Chumley. "This is one of the pinnacle performances that we could possibly do."

Initially, the band was to honor local Vietnam veterans from the local VFW post by playing a few songs from a recent ensemble. This made for the perfect opportunity for officials from the Macy's Parade to announce the band's achievement in front of hundreds of attendees.

The Marching Firebirds was one of hundreds of bands to apply for the opportunity. The band was one of 11 chosen by the parade's band selection committee to participate.

"We've been trying to get into Macy's for a long time," said senior Kalyn French. "It's like really awesome that the band actually got in for the next year."

Awesome, because she and the rest of the band blazed the trail to receive the honor. But it is bittersweet, because as a senior, she and the juniors will have graduated when the band parades through New York City.

Now, the future band members have some fundraising to begin. The director of bands said that he estimates each student will need to raise between $700-800 for traveling expenses.