SeaTac band readies to play at Obama's inauguration
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SEATAC, Wash. -- A few months ago, the band at Global Connections High School -- formerly Tyee High, was invited to play at the presidential inauguration, but the question was: could they raise enough money?
$60,000 later, they're heading to Washington, D.C.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'm glad I'm getting it," said clarinet player Mihret Haile.
They raised they money through tree sales, potlucks, performances -- you name it. And at a school where 80 percent of students qualify for free or reduced price lunches, nothing is taken for granted. More than half of the band has never been in an airplane before.
"It's amazing that the kids live within 2 miles of the airport, go to school a mile from the airport, and have never been to the airport or on an airplane," said band conductor Lynetta Nelthropp.
They'll see the sights, visit the Smithsonian, watch the president take his oath of office, and maybe, just maybe at the inauguration festival, Mr. Obama will be watching.
"I'm completely excited about that," said saxophone player Brianna Collins. "I completely adore him and I'm excited that he might be able to hear us do what we love."
Also while they're in D.C., the band will get a tour of the capitol from Congressman Adam Smith who went to Tyee High School back in the day. The congressman also gave the largest single donation to the band for their trip.
$60,000 later, they're heading to Washington, D.C.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'm glad I'm getting it," said clarinet player Mihret Haile.
They raised they money through tree sales, potlucks, performances -- you name it. And at a school where 80 percent of students qualify for free or reduced price lunches, nothing is taken for granted. More than half of the band has never been in an airplane before.
"It's amazing that the kids live within 2 miles of the airport, go to school a mile from the airport, and have never been to the airport or on an airplane," said band conductor Lynetta Nelthropp.
They'll see the sights, visit the Smithsonian, watch the president take his oath of office, and maybe, just maybe at the inauguration festival, Mr. Obama will be watching.
"I'm completely excited about that," said saxophone player Brianna Collins. "I completely adore him and I'm excited that he might be able to hear us do what we love."
Also while they're in D.C., the band will get a tour of the capitol from Congressman Adam Smith who went to Tyee High School back in the day. The congressman also gave the largest single donation to the band for their trip.
As a small Business in SeaTac , this matter was brought to our attention by a Customer, Our Barista's donated their tips for 6 Sundays, and we took donations and were proud to donate $ 1,400.00 for the band to make this trip. Enjoy it Kids!!
 @Mike's Community Cup Would have been better spent on them going to play for a REAL President.
 @Nuclearian  @Mike's Community Cup
 @flyskiwindsurf  @Nuclearian And you are like the followers of Hitler. So "enamored" by the glory of your Fuhrer Obama, you are blinded by the fact he is destroying everything this country stood for.
Not a tea bagger, but would claim the title. I would definitely be of a higher "character" than a Hitlerian follower. And if I am a DB, then you supporting Obama, shows you are of the lower of level of human being. Barely above low grade "m".
 @flyskiwindsurf  @Nuclearian Yeah. That 47% that Romney mentioned, given a bus ticket and free meal, showed up. Nobody actually CONTRIBUTING to society did. The 47%, his fellow Demonrat party members, and worldwide Communist Party elite.
@Nuclearian (cont from above just for you nookie) By the way. The number showing up at Obamaâs first were not only the âlargest attendance of any Presidential Inauguration in U.S. historyâ but the âlargest attendance of any event in the history of Washington, DC.â I.e. anyone getting a 1/3 of that figure is doing pretty darn good. Oh yeah. Clinton got that 1/3 number during his first inaugural. Go figure even again you tabagginâ tbagger you. Man you are just one tbagginâ db there nookie.
@Nuclearian bwahahahaâ¦â¦ nookieâ¦.. You are really a laugh riot. I.e. the amount of people showing up at Obamaâs second will almost double those showing up at either shrubâs or reggaeâs first and will nearly triple those showing up at Sr.âs first. Go figure. And a lot of those showing up at the latter threeâs were probably paid actors. bwahahahaâ¦â¦ (cont below just for you nookie)
 @Mike's Community Cup  @Mike's Community Cup To play for nobody wanting to show up at the Fuhrer's inauguration. Predictions are that the people watching it will only be 1/3rd of those at the first one.
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But of course, just like at the Demonrat convention, I think they will PAY people to show up to give the FALSE impression that this country likes him.
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Its not an honor to play for this village idiot. Nice trip to visit our nations Capitol, wrapped up with the insult of playing for Der Fuhrer.
 @Nuclearian  @Mike's Community Cup Politics aside, this is about the Kids, and a chance of a lifetime trip.
That's wonderful for them! This will be something they'll treasure the rest of their lives. Opportunities like these are life-changing. Â Kudos to the band director as well, for having the belief if them, and to the parents and boosters who supported this. Â
 @DT I totailly agree. It is wonderful for these kids to get out of their own environment and see potential future opportunities for them. Who knows, some may set a goal of becoming a pilot, an engineer, etc. Congratulations!
I'm happy to see  some Washingtonian's get a chance to travel.  What ever reason.. Good for these kids and the teachers.
As much money as this administration WASTES, they should have just gone ahead and paid for these kids' trip, and just added it to their tab. (The kids' tab) After all, they ARE going to play for the man who's administration is going to saddle generations to come with so much debt, they probably won't even ATTEMPT to go to college out of fear of adding to what they already owe, will drop out of school with the rationalization of "why try, I'm over my head anyhow," and will go on the public dole out of a sense of futility, becoming dependent on the government. Looks like the grand scheme is working..........
This is about the kids and a once in a lifetime opportunity that they have raised the money for. Â Can we please just say what a fantastic opportunity it is for them and not make this about politics or "us". It's about them and their experience. Â
 @Wolfen Ah.. some folks never miss a chance to pee in someone's Wheaties.  This is an incredible honor. The kids and their families are doing a wonderful thing, and paid for it themselves. Instead of honoring that, you make some stupid political point.  Were you not loved as a child? Why the constant hatred??  The debt you talk about is the result of a housing crash, a Recession, cutting taxes on Billionaires during wartime, and starting two wars by borrowing trillions from the Chinese. All of which did not happen on the President's watch. Sorry.  But the debt you're talking about preceded him.  Or are you conservatives unclear on the concept of paying back loans with interest?  If you were a true patriot, you'd be asking yourself why you're still paying on the schools and police stations (with interest,) in Iraq, with our tax dollars.  It's not a crime to be ignorant, but it should be.Â
 @DT  @Wolfen " Ah.. some folks never miss a chance to pee in someone's Wheaties. "
I'll never look at a bowl of Wheaties the same way again. LOL It is sad that it is so true.Â
These kids also now know the results of working hard for a goal.Â
 @Wolfen The White House has never paid for people to come to the inauguration. If they suddenly start now Glenn Beck and Rush and every other wind bag out there would be claiming that these kids are welfare queens and they should boot straps and what ever else those air heads could say to hurt those kids.
1791, Magic 8 Ball, and Nuclearian, you guys must have sad, lonely lives.
 @Hagar Aw Hagar. You just want your fascist leader, to be able to do what Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin did when they banned guns. Execute their own people.
@Nuclearian Thank you for such an intelligent, thought provoking comment. I will take it under advisement.
@Nuclearian thank you for such an intelligent, thoughtful comment. I will take it under advisement.
 @Hagar  @Nuclearian Why. Its already being done. They are called our kids. Next he will come after you.
play for your king
If guns don't keep us safe, as the President claims, then I wonder if his secret service agents will not be packing for the event?
 @Magic 8 Ball Yeah, because someone who has pretty much the highest odds of being shot at and dying in this country shouldn't any special protection. 4 presidents out of 44 really isn't great odds.
 @quidproquo  @Magic 8 Ball considering the scumbags that came out of the woodwork since the President was elected, resulted in an exponential rise in threats against the office of President, the Secret Service are earning every penny right now.  They're doing a great job protecting the First Family from all of the creepy, angry, armed, kooks, out there.  And then they knock that protection? They're the reason why we have it for our Presidents. :facepalm:
 @DT  @quidproquo  @Magic 8 BallGuns owners are scumbags? Hmm. maybe they didnt like the idea that law abiding citizens were going to get their 2nd Amendment rights violated, yet HIS Secret Service gets to keep theirs?
 @DT " the Secret Service are earning every penny right now."
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I TOTALLY agree....They deserve every HOOKER that they can get there grimy hand on!!!!
Good for them. Many kids in this part of the country never get to see the US capital.
 @rockguy I've neven been there myself, but I hear that the experience is just awe-inspiring, to see the historical places in person, and all of the history.Â
 @rockguy Or play for a loser President.
 @Nuclearian I'm sorry that you were unloved as a child, and that instead of being breastfed, you were sat under a slushy machine at 7-11.  (yeah, it's that obvious.)
 @DT And you were fed liberal GARBAGE and loved every bit of it. (yeah, its that obvious). If those 40 millions that didnt vote, did, your Fuhere wouldnt be in charge.