MHS band goin' to Kansas City
Staff writer
Marion High School band students will have the opportunity to take an end-of-year trip, but they won't be going as far as originally expected.
During a special noon meeting July 20, Marion-Florence USD 408 Board of Education voted 6-0 allowing a two-day band trip to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Mo.
Originally, MHS band instructor Mike Connell had proposed taking students to the Concert Band Cup in Branson, Mo., produced by FAME Events. The event is planned for April 15-16, 2005.
However, the high cost of the trip coupled with the distance involved were concerns for the board.
Each of the students attending would have had to pay $100 on the Branson trip. Also, band members and parents would have had to raise $7,120 through various fund-raising activities.
Since the first meeting, the band had received a $1,000 donation, Connell added.
During the July 12 meeting, Bowers said he wanted students to be able to make the trip, but felt the trip was "pricey" and wondered whether it was mostly a "money-making project for FAME Events."
With only four of seven board members present at the first meeting, a vote on the matter was delayed until more board members could be present and answers found to Bowers' questions.
During last week's special meeting, Connell said he and MHS principal Ken Arnhold had examined other established festivals. While some were cheaper, none compared with what the Branson festival offered.
Conflicting dates were the main problem with the other festivals, he noted. All conflicted with one or another MHS regional or state event. Only one festival at Worlds of Fun, set for April 22-23, would work if prom were moved to the previous weekend.
Arnhold said that was not a problem as long as it was done before the school calendar was printed.
Arnhold noted hotel rooms in Kansas City would be in the $75 range with four people per room, based on information from the Internet. Also, discount tickets to enter Worlds of Fun are less than $20.
"There's no actual entry fee for the music festival," Arnhold said. "Then after the performance they'd have the day to spend in the park."
Other possibilities during the trip could include a performance at a high school or college along the way and perhaps taking in a Royals game, Arnhold said.
Board member Kathy Meierhoff noted Worlds of Fun offered hotel packages and the lodging cost could be even less than projected. Meierhoff also said the band would only need to raise approximately $3,000 for the Kansas City trip, compared to $7,000 to $8,000 for Branson.
"The difference is Worlds of Fun is a cattle call while at Branson they select the number one high school in Kansas and we were selected," Arnhold said.
"If we go with the Kansas City trip we wouldn't expect the kids to pitch in any money," Connell said.
Board president Rex Savage asked Connell what he felt the kids' preference would be.
"When you look at prestige I'd rather go to Branson, but without having the kids to vote I couldn't say," Connell replied. "They did vote almost unanimously (at the end of school) to go to Branson."
Arnhold said realistically the Worlds of Fun trip would be more fun because of the park. "But prestige- or competition-wise the Branson trip would be better, but it costs a lot more."
"I don't know if that's more important or having a good time," Connell added. "We have some kids who are very serious about their performance so it's a hard call, but probably Worlds of Fun would be more appealing to more kids."
Board member Keith Collett said rewarding the students for their hard work with a trip was more important than location.
"If they can perform and cut expenses I say where it's at is less important than what happens," Collett said, noting he attended a trip five years ago with the MHS Singers to a performance at Worlds of Fun.
"That trip was a culmination of a year of hard work. Was it an educational experience? Not really. Was it fun? Yes," Collett said.
He further noted raising $7,000 to $,8000 was a "lot of money" for the community to voluntarily give.
The board voted to approve the Worlds of Fun trip. Meierhoff had left the lunch meeting to return to work and did not vote.
Bowers said he was "extremely proud" of the band and would like to see members rewarded for their hard work.
"It's a reward for an extremely excellent band program," Bowers said.
