The Marching Firebirds will celebrate the up-and-coming students in the Lakota West Bands program before and during the Friday, September 9 Lakota West home football game versus Dayton Wayne.
This celebration — formerly known as Freshman Night — will put a welcoming spotlight on Ridge and Plains eighth graders, as well as Lakota West freshmen with:
a before-game pizza party with current members of the Marching Firebirds,
the honor of parading with the Marching Firebirds into the stadium before the start of the game.
the thrill of going onto the football field with the Marching Firebirds to perform some hit tunes, and
the fun of spending time with the Marching Firebirds in their north endzone stands.
Read below to learn about the dress code, equipment needs and schedule.
Dress Code and Equipment Needs
For rehearsals on Wednesday, September 7 and Thursday, September 8: Wear a T-shirt, athletic shorts, sturdy athletic shoes and thick socks. A bottle of water, sunscreen, baseball hat and/or sunglasses are also recommended. Bring your instrument as well as a lyre and flip folder with your music.
For September 9: Freshmen should wear the Lakota West Bands T-shirt that their parents purchased for them through Charms, as well as jeans and athletic shoes with socks. Eighth graders should wear their band polos, jeans and athletic shoes with socks. All should bring their instruments, lyres and flip folders with music.
Schedule for Wednesday, September 7
Freshmen only rehearse with the Marching Firebirds on the parking lot at West’s main campus from 3 to 4pm. Freshmen should use the Activity Bus to get from the freshman campus to the main campus.
Schedule for Thursday, September 8
Freshmen only rehearse with the Marching Firebirds at the freshman campus stadium from 7 to about 8pm. Parents are welcome to observe the rehearsal from the stadium stands.
Schedule for Friday, September 9
Upon dismissal from school, freshmen and eighth graders make their way to the main campus band room by 3:45pm. Freshmen needing transportation to the main campus should take the Activity Bus. Eighth graders needing transportation will gather immediately after school with their band directors and take specially-arranged bus transportation to the main campus.Upon arriving at the main campus band room, freshmen and eighth graders will deposit instrument cases, equipment, etc., in the band room then report to the rehearsal parking lot by 4pm for a rehearsal with the Marching Firebirds.At 5pm the Upbeat Club (band boosters) will host a pizza party for the eighth graders, freshmen and Marching Firebirds in the cafeteria.At 5:45pm the eighth graders, freshmen and Marching Firebirds will warm up together in the Lakota West Theater.At 6:15pm the eighth graders, freshmen and Marching Firebirds will line up on Main Street, the high school’s long interior hallway.At 6:25pm the eighth graders, freshmen and Marching Firebirds will march to the stadium via Lakota West Drive. West Chester Police close Lakota West Drive during the band’s march to the stadium.At 6:43pm the pre-game show will begin, with eighth graders and freshmen joining the Marching Firebirds for a portion of the show.At 7pm the football game gets under way. Upbeat Club volunteers will serve snacks and drinks to eighth graders and freshmen in the north endzone area where the Marching Firebirds’ stands are located. Eighth graders and freshmen who wish to leave after the refreshment time may do so — this dismissal probably will be around 7:30pm.Eighth graders and freshmen are encouraged to stay with the Marching Firebirds in the north endzone area during the first half, and watch the Marching Firebirds’ halftime show from the sidelines. Once the third quarter gets under way, all remaining freshmen and eighth graders will be dismissed. This dismissal will probably be around 8:30pm. For both dismissal times, band directors will escort student from the stadium back to the band room to collect their belongings. Once students leave the main band room, they will no longer be under the supervision of band directors, and may go home or re-enter the stadium to watch the end of the football game in the stands (but not with the Marching Firebirds).If there are thunderstorm-related concerns, as there were in 2015, it’s likely that the festivities will be moved indoors to the gym.
