Days 1 and 2:
So far, the trip to South Padre Island has gone really well. We arrived here on the island at around 7:00pm last night, and the students had a chance to get settled, play on the beach, and swim in the pool. With the length of the journey, instead of stopping for dinner, we setup a pizza/salad/dessert buffet by the pool. It went great.
This morning, they were up before the sun (not kidding - I was on the beach at 6:45am, and there were already 20 of them out there watching the sunrise). Many of them did a 3-mile run on the beach with me this morning, and we’ve spent the rest of the morning playing on the beach - sandcastles, volleyball, and lots of relaxing. In a few minutes, we’re heading off to lunch, then the contest site for the concerts, followed by a nice dinner at Pier 19.
Many of the parents have been uploading pictures to the website.
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Days 2 and 3:
All is well here in South Padre.
Last night, we had a wonderful dinner at Pier 19. The wait was quite long, but having a dinner on a pier over the water was scenic. Great food and some wonderful memories were made.
This morning, we had another large group of kids up to photograph the sunrise (and run a few miles) at 6:45am. We spent plenty of time on the beach, and then ventured to Sea Turtle Inc. STI is one of North America’s only Sea Turtle rescue center and hospitals. We had a short presentation about their work and were able to see several turtles in the tanks, some of which are being released back into the wild next weekend.
We spent the afternoon at Schlitterbahn Water Park. The sun was out, it was warm, and they were busy. The students swam and swam. We’re headed back over to Schlitterbahn for the Awards/Dinner/Dance. We’ll keep you posted on the final results of the competition.
Days 3 and 4:
What a wonderful trip. To round out Saturday evening, we returned to Schlitterbahn Water Park for the Dinner/Awards/Dance. Awards were presented as follows:
WHS Jazz Ensemble - Straight Superior Ratings (I-I-I); Best in Class (AAAA Jazz Band)
WHS Concert Band - Straight Superior Ratings (I-I-I); Best in Class (AAAA-3rd band)
WHS Symphonic Band - Straight Superior Ratings (I-I-I); Best in Class (AAAA-2nd band)
WHS Wind Symphony - Straight Superior Ratings (I-I-I); Best in Class (AAAA-1st band)
Additionally, the Wakeland HS Wind Symphony was awarded the Most Outstanding Band of the contest.
The trip home today we uneventful - a quick stop in Corpus Christi for lunch and a snack in Waco. It was a wonderful time. Our students learn so much on this trips - not just about music, but about themselves. They learn to be more independent, to work with others, and to have fun no matter what challenges are thrown our way. It’s such an important lesson. Thanks to everyone who supported us - the wonderful chaperones, our great bus drivers, and all the band parents who continually aid your child in achieving such wonderful accolades. Special thanks to Susan Tyreman for coordinating the planning of the trip - her professionalism and grace-under-fire were invaluable. Bravo to all.
Sunday, May 6, 2012 at 10:42PM 
