[ HAWAII'S SCHOOLS ]
COURTESY OF ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL
The Roosevelt High School marching band rehearsed its drill for the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade three times for the NBC cameras at Herald Square in front of Macy's department store.
March to remember
The Macy's Thanksgiving parade
provides a once-in-a-lifetime thrill
for the Roosevelt band
While most people in New York City were still asleep, the Roosevelt High School marching band was up to prepare for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Wake-up calls came at 1:45 a.m., and band members were expected to be in their thermal underwear and full marching band uniforms and with instruments in hand by 3:15 a.m.
The 15 hula dancers, some with no sleep at all, were up even earlier, at around 1 a.m., scrambling to finish their hair and makeup.
"I was too excited to sleep," said senior Whitney Wright. "I couldn't wait to dance in front of our nation."
A short bus ride took the band to the Herald Square rehearsal, where hours later the band would perform their drill for the entire nation in front of Macy's department store. Band members tried to keep warm in the 46-degree weather and prepare for their rehearsal.
"At the rehearsal, I felt nervous even though it was only a run-through, but at the same time it was really cold," said senior Sherrelyn Lazaro.
The NBC cameras needed to find the right shots for the live telecast, so the announcer asked the band to perform the drill three times at the rehearsal.
"It was good running through the show a couple of times because it warmed us up a little," said junior Staci Hata.
Not long after the band completed the rehearsal, they headed to a restaurant in Macy's where they were treated to a complimentary breakfast of pastries, fruits and beverages.
COURTESY OF ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL
The band waited a few hours in the staging area at Central Park West before the parade.
The band was bused by 7 a.m. to the staging area at Central Park West, where leis were distributed to complete their outfits.
While the band waited two hours for the parade to start, students talked amongst themselves and huddled to keep warm while some were interviewed for newspaper articles and TV news programs.
Others looked on, hoping to catch the attention of passing celebrities. "American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard was in front of the band at the staging area. Freshman Tracy Tamashiro gave Studdard a lei, which she later learned he wore throughout the parade.
The parade started at 9 a.m., and within half an hour the Roosevelt marching band took its first steps in the parade.
"When we first stepped off, I felt really excited but at the same time very nervous," said Lazaro. "There were a lot of people watching us from the sidewalks and nearby buildings and another couple million watching us on national television."
The streets were filled with people, but not all were strangers. Alumni were among the crowd along the 2 1/2-mile route. A few had signs displaying the year they graduated.
The crowd in general was very supportive. "When I heard the people yelling 'mahalo' and 'aloha,' waving and cheering and doing the shaka sign, it felt really good," Lazaro said. "Especially when they yelled, 'Go Hawaii!' It really brought my spirits up."
At Herald Square, band members took their positions and waited.
"During the Herald Square performance, I was like, 'This is it, I'm actually doing it, it's what it all comes down to,'" senior Isabel Lee said. "I pondered whether to turn my head and smile or to keep a straight face."
After hours of preparation, the parade itself went by quickly.
"It was a very long day, but it went better than expected," said band director Gregg Abe. "There was a lot of running around, but everything went smoothly."
"It was a relief," Lazaro said. "I felt really proud because we just represented Hawaii at the biggest parade in the nation. Although it takes months of sweat and hard work, in the end it is worth it.
"It was an experience of a lifetime."
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Dedication defines
Roosevelt’s music man
The average public school teacher in the United States has worked full time a total of 15 years. His average workweek is 37 hours, and he teaches 86 students per day.
Gregg Abe, director of Roosevelt High School's music department, is not that average teacher.
Abe can be seen driving to the band room as early as 7:15 a.m., and he leaves at 7 p.m. That's already a 12-hour day, and he's taught 140 students. On Thursdays, when the marching band rehearses, he often stays past 9 p.m.
"My job takes a lot of outside time," Abe said. "During football season, from July to November, the only time I have free with my family is Saturday, and that's it. From Sunday to Friday it's pretty much just band."
When Abe graduated from Roosevelt in 1976, it never occurred to him that he would soon return to spend more hours at school as a teacher than he did as a student.
"I never intended to be a teacher until my junior year in college," admits Abe, who is in his 18th year at Roosevelt. "I did a double major in music performance (percussion) and music education -- just in case I couldn't perform, I could fall back on the teaching degree.
"It didn't happen that way. I ended up teaching instead. But I never regretted it because I enjoy what I'm doing. It's not like this was my second choice."
After college, Abe was offered a part-time job with the Honolulu Symphony and a full-time job with the Royal Hawaiian Band but turned both offers down to teach.
His decision to put down the drumsticks and pick up a baton has caused his life to be entirely dedicated to his students.
But even after 80-minute classes, late rehearsals and grueling practices under the hot sun, he knows that band is also about having fun.
"He likes to have fun and joke around," said Jeffrey Imamura, a drum major in the band. "He knows when it's time to be serious and when to have fun. He destroys that barrier between student and teacher."
The relationship Abe has with his students makes his job satisfying.
"I get to see the students for four years, from freshman year all the way up until they graduate, so I see the development in each student," Abe said. "In that sense it's very rewarding. In other classes you maybe only see them for one year, and then you don't see them at all."
His patience and devotion do not go unnoticed.
"Mr. Abe is always there for us, to help with anything. He's not your average 7 o'clock to 3 o'clock teacher; he's here all the time for us," said junior Dara Kakugawa.
"He's different from other teachers because he's closer to his students. He's not only our teacher, but also our friend," said senior Sherrelyn Lazaro.
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About this Section
Each week, Hawaii's teenage reporters and photographers tell us about their high school. This week's school is Roosevelt High School.
Newspaper: Rough Rider Editors-in-chief: Alyssa Kawamoto and Erin Tagomori Faculty adviser: Lori Hamel
Rough Rider Facts
Address: 1120 Nehoa St., Honolulu, HI 96822 Phone: 587-4600 Principal: Dennis Hokama Colors: Red and gold Mascot: Rough Rider Founded: 1932
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You Asked...
"What was the best part about
the trip to New York?"
Tahnee Dudoit
Freshman
"The parade was a new experience for all of us. It was great for the band to represent our state."Kayla Abe
Sophomore
"Getting caught up with the busy city as I shopped, because it was a whole new experience."Nicole Nagao
Senior
"Spending Thanksgiving with all of my friends in New York was the best way to end my high school marching band experience."Sarah Williams
Senior
"The greatest part was the cab rides. New York traffic is scary already, but put four teenage girls who have been shopping all day into a taxicab, and oh dear."Kiley Kaneshiro
Senior
"This was the first time I got to be in a place full of skyscrapers and among huge crowds."Marlene Shimamura
Freshman
"The best part of New York was shopping! Everything about shopping was great. You pretty much got to go where you wanted and who you wanted to go with."
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Big Apple odyssey
Here's a look at some significant figures from the Roosevelt High School marching band's trip to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade:
Number of people who went on the trip: 156Number of students among the group: 104 (34 boys, 70 girls)
Hours of sleep, on average, before the parade: 4
Pairs of gloves issued: 125
Total hours spent flying to New York: 12
Total hours spent in practice: 20-25
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