The Rogers Heritage High School Band loves to play, loves to perform and they love to travel.
"Last year we went to Dallas so this is one of our bigger trips”, said Sophomore Kasey Lancaster.
Senior Adrian Smith remembers his favorite trip with the band, "That would have to be Disney World my freshman year. That was pretty cool. We got to go to a Disney recording studio and record some Tarzan stuff. "
Every great band needs a great leader and these students love band director Doug Blevins.
"If it wasn't for Mr. Blevins I don't think I would have as good of a band experience as I have had”, said Lancaster.
Sophomore Alicia Contreras plays the clarinet, “I just joined band cuz I thought it would be fun and you get to march around and just do things that I always thought were fun. So that's why I joined the band and this (going to New Orleans) is just a huge bonus."
Students say spending time with their friends is one of their favorite parts of the trip.
"I'm really looking forward to the parade and then when we go into the Superdome,” said Lancaster “but I always like with the trips that you get a lot closer to your friends in band."
Smith agrees with his band mate, "Best part of this trip is hanging out with the drumline, ya know. You know theyre probably my favorite kids to hang out with in school. It'll be a blast to hang out with them all day."
But first they must endure 12 hours on a bus. Alicia Contreras said jokingly,"Yeah that's gonna be fun!”
For these band members the real fun is Saturday afternoon, they will perform in front of a huge crowd. It will be the longest parade these students have ever played in, by far.
"The parade is six miles long,” said Lancaster, “so that's gonna end up being a pretty long parade." Adrian Smith put it into perspective, "Our normal parade lengths you know they last for like, I don't know, close to an hour and this one's gonna be like five hours."
After the parade they'll get a chance to eat, and then it's back on the bus for another 12 hour trip back home to Rogers.