Kansas City’s Past Page 2
Sweet And Healthy Page 7
Eagle Days Page 8
Free complimentary copy January 2, 2015 • Volume 2, No. 14
www.raytowneagle.com • 75¢
RHS Marching Band Performs At Disney World By Diane Krizek Editor About 70 students, teachers and parents left the grounds of Raytown High School on Sunday morning, December 28, 2014, in two Arrow Stage chartered buses headed for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. After spending three full days in the various Walt Disney World Parks, the Raytown High School Bluejay Pride Marching Band will perform in the Disney Magic Music Days Parade on New Year’s in the Magic Kingdom! Director of Bands, Joe Hill, applied to the Disney Performing Arts Series for the honor a year ago. Meeting all their criteria and sending a video of the marching band’s performances paid off. “This is a fantastic opportu-
Students lining up with their luggage
brightly colored yellow, blue and orange t-shirts to wear each day in order to be identifiable as a group. “You will be on your feet nine hours daily and are going to need your sleep every night,” asserted Hill. After three days of fun in the Disney parks, the band will kick back into performance mode by warming up at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, New Year’s Day, for the parade that begins at 11:30 a.m. They have spent many dedicated hours perfect-
Loading the charter buses nity and honor,” Hill told the group before they launched. “You will be ambassadors of Raytown High School.” RHS principal, Brad Drace, who was also going on the trip as a band student parent, advised the students to be on their
best behavior – or else. After traveling 24 hours straight through to Orlando, the first planned stop is Epcot Center where the group will spend nine hours. The next two days are planned for Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. The students were given
Photos continue on page 2
ing their routines for this day in the spotlight. To finance this trip, the band students have worked with RHS Band Boosters in numerous fundraising projects from poinsettia, cookies and garage sales to car washes to sacking groceries for tips. They’ve even written letters to potential sponsors and donors. The RHS Band Department’s believes opportunities like this trip not only give Raytown High School and the Band Department representation but also provide students a greater understanding of our world through travel and education, and rewards them for their commitment to the Raytown High School band program. Next week, we hope to be able to share some photos of their trip.
Retirement Celebration
At his retirement party at City Hall on December 30, 2014, Sergeant Mike McDonough received a roasting by his peers and an engraved shadow box with mementoes of his 40 years of service for the Raytown Police Department