DAVENPORT, IOWA (April 14, 2021) — The Davenport West High School Band has been invited to perform at the Lincoln Memorial Centennial Celebration in 2022. This is an incredible honor, but it comes with a challenge: the band needs to raise $140,000 to fund the trip. But the musicians work together as a team and the Band Directors, Maggie Oates and Courtney Long, have every confidence that they will raise the money and succeed. “Our goal is to make this trip as equitable as possible so that all of our students can experience this once-in-a-lifetime historical trip,” Oates said.
Davenport West High School Band was chosen to represent the school, community, and State of Iowa at the Lincoln Memorial Centennial celebration, April 20-24, 2022, in Washington DC. All fifty states will be represented by bands at the event. A maximum of 100 West High School band members will hold two performances at the Centennial Celebration. The band will also participate in an en masse performance with bands from other states. The performances will be held outdoors, which lessens the risks presented by the COVID-19 virus. The band will observe all precautions to prevent pandemic risks.
According to Oates, 100 students and twelve chaperones will take two buses to Washington DC. West High School will send its concert band, which features a robust array of instruments — piccolo, flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, bass clarinet, alto-saxophone, tenor-saxophone, baritone-saxophone, French horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, and percussion.
The band has already lined up a variety of fundraising endeavors, Oates noted, to raise the needed $140,000. The band is also planning a separate trip to Orlando, Florida, and they will be raising funds for that event as well.
“We have a GoFundMe campaign set up online, and radio personality Mark Manuel from Classic Rock Q106.5/101-3 Kiss-FM is also helping us,” Oates said. “Mark is a former band parent and both of his kids were in band. They have both graduated. Many area families and graduates of the high school are also helping out.”
One promotion that the band will utilize involves selling MinnTex Fruit from Monticello, Iowa. “In the past, we’ve made $40,000 for other projects, selling that quality fruit,” Oates said. “We get to keep 40 percent of the money. This time, 20 percent will go to the Washington DC trip, and another 20 percent will go to the Florida trip.”
In her free time, Oates performs saxophone with the music group Identity Crisis. She is also part of a saxophone quartet, Concept Saxophone. “I’ve been playing the saxophone for 27 years,” she said. Identity Crisis will raise money for the trip by holding a fundraising concert in August.
According to Oates, band members are even picking up trash along public roads for the City of Davenport to raise money. “They’re working up a sweat, but it’s good money,” Oates said. “The kids are clearly committed to reaching their goal.”
Andrew Zinn, West High School’s welding instructor, is helping the kids to raise money by working with them on a project to decorate area driveways through the use of spray paint and stencils. One of the designs is a stylized "DW" that represents "Davenport West."
“Our hard work got the the band this far,” Oates said, “and when these students enter the workplace in later years, their future employers will be impressed by their dedication and strong work ethics.”
Cory Williams, West High School Principal, said, “I am so proud of Mrs. Oates, Mrs. Long, and these kids. Hard work pays off. Way to go, Falcons!”
To visit the West High School GoFundMe page for the trip to Washington DC, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/west-band-trip-to-washington-dc?qid=794bcb6cc89897f1563dd45d19640631.
To learn more about the Davenport Community School District, please visit http://www.davenportschools.org/.
About the Davenport Community School District:
Serving more than 14,000 students and their families, the Davenport Community School District prepares young minds for success. Through academics, the arts, and athletics, we are growing excellence for every child. We work with the communities of Blue Grass, Buffalo, Davenport, and Walcott. With more than 3,000 employees, we are one of the top ten employers in the Iowa/Illinois Quad Cities. We employ more than 1,400 teachers, and more than half hold a master’s degree or higher. All teachers receive ongoing coaching and professional development by a staff of Curriculum & Instruction Specialists and other experts from around the nation. To learn more, please visit http://www.davenportschools.org/.
