For the first time in its five-year history, Sonoraville High School’s marching band will make an appearance at the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Director Garrick Cheyne isn’t sure if the performance will be televised, but knows this will be an unforgettable memory for his 90 band members who will travel to New Orleans.

This year’s band has 103 members.

“It’s very exciting for me because students can create memories that will last a lifetime,” Cheyne said. “Many students haven’t traveled there and they’ll also get to experience the jazz and Cajun culture of New Orleans.”

Principal Bruce Potts agrees and says he’s proud of the band.

“They’re one of the most dedicated groups I’ve been involved with and they’ve grown in three years from 38 to 40 students to over 100 now,” Potts said.

The 76 th annual game will feature the University of Fla. Vs. University of Cincinnati on Jan. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

The band will march during halftime and will perform “The Heat is On,” “Hot Blooded,” and “Hot and Cold.” These are all songs composed by guest conductor Kim Dye of Notre Dame.

Cheyne feels it’s time for these students to shine.

“It’s sort of a year to year thing and you don’t have the same students each year,” Cheyne said. “I was very confident in our abilities and strength and that they (our audition tapes) were of a high quality.”

Cheyne says there were selected after he sent in a tape of the marching and concert bands performance at the Georgia Music Education Association competition in March 2009.

“We were the only band in the state of Georgia selected,” Cheyne said. “It was a quick turn around.”

Fundraising Help

Band members and the SHS’s band booster club began planning before the school year to help with any financial constraints students and parents might face financing the trip.

“The total cost is $50,000 and that’s about $600 per student,” explained Cheyne. “The kids have done a lot of individual fundraising and sold tickets for a pancake breakfast and have sold fudge.”

Right now, there are 75 students who have fully paid for the trip. There are also four or five students who are behind in payments, he said.

“We would certainly appreciate any help we could get and could do a full or half sponsorship,” Cheyne said.

The sponsorship is tax deductible and the money would enable band members to travel to New Orleans.

“The SHS band would like to thank our sponsors for making our Sugar Bowl trip possible,” added Cheyne.

Those interested in sponsoring a child, email Cheyne at gcheyne@gcbe.org or contact him at 706-602-0320.

SHS Timeline of Events for New Orleans trip:

Sonoraville High School’s marching band won’t just perform at the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. They have other musical endeavors planned during their trip.

Dec. 29 – The band will leave by van for New Orleans at 6 a.m.

Dec. 30 – SHS band will compete against other high school bands at West Jefferson High School in West Jefferson, Louisiana.

Dec. 31 – SHS band will perform for a crowd at the French Quarter.

Jan. 1 – SHS band will march and perform during the halftime show of the Sugar Bowl football game. The game begins at 7 p.m.

Jan. 2 – The band will return back to Gordon County.

These SHS band members will travel to New Orleans and perform in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.



2009-2010 SHS Band Members

Elizabeth Akens

Morgan Avery

Lily Avery

Galen Bailey

Maria Barron

Tanner Blair

Tessa Bowman

Sara Bradford

Shelby Brown

Katie Brueggert

AJ Brueggert

Brendan Brueggert

Robin Bruno

Cassie Burchett

Justin Cain

Dale Carter

Tyra Cecil

Aaron Charles

Elizabeth Clay

Rebekah Clay

Presley Cornette

Jeremy Cronnon

Kaycie DeFoor

David Douglass

Jordan Ford

Tosha Fowler

Josh Garlin

Amy Goforth

Koty Gravitt

Kady Greeson

Jack Guess

Adam Heughan

Taylor Hicks

Brittany Hobgood

Danielle Holland

Dallas Hollis

Jared Hopper

Beth Howard

Evan Johnson

Mercedes Jones

Lindsey Keithley

Ben Land

Mandi Land

Chris Lee

Araceli Macias

Ryan McGehee

Victoria Mitchell

Brian Mobley

Emily Morton

Tia Mullins

Kristen Naylor

Kayden Pagel

Paul Painter

Samantha Patterson

Chelsea Patterson

Candace Posey

Katie Presley

Tavish Reynolds

TJ Roebuck

Christina Roland

Lauren Roland

John Sasser

Sydney Scott

Katie Shaw

Hannah Singer

Alyssa Skibo

Kody Spanik

Hunter Starkey

Chase Starkey

Garrett Starkey

Autumn Thomason

Hannah Thorn

Megan Townsend

Kory Tracey

Haley Trueblood

Kayla Veit

Nikki Warren

Garrett Weaver

Alyssa West

Linda Williams

Brody Williams