‘It’s a great day to be a Warrior’: Wasilla High School marching band receives a special visit from Gov. Dunleavy

WASILLA — Gov. Mike Dunleavy made an appearance at the Wasilla High School marching band’s Mardi Gras themed fundraising event, wishing them luck on their upcoming trip to Washington DC for the Lincoln Memorial Centennial celebration.

“This is going to be a trip they’ll never forget,” Dunleavy said.

WHS marching band students performed throughout the evening as members of the community cycled into the school gymnasium for a community dinner, silent auction, and live auction Saturday, Feb. 5.

All proceeds from the event went directly to the band’s fundraising goal of $70,000 for the upcoming DC trip.

Dunleavy said that he would do what he could to support the WHS marching band and encouraged attendees to do the same.

“We’ve got to do whatever we can to raise money for these guys,” Dunleavy said. “The goal is $70,000 and I know there’s $70,000 here in the Valley.”

WHS band director Jackie Johnson said they raised about $12,000 from the Mardi Gras event. She said they had a large turnout and a large outpouring of support from the community.

“It went pretty well. It was everything we hoped for and more,” Johnson said.

Johnson said that she was thankful for Dunleavy’s kind words and his expressed commitment to aiding their cause.

“It’s so nice any time you have support from higher up,” Johnson said. “He has connections to Wasilla High. It’s a big sense of pride not just for us but for him as well. He immediately jumped in.”

Johnson noted that Wasilla Mayor Glenda Ledford was not able to attend the event but has been a steadfast supporter of the school’s marching band program time and time again. She said they’ve also been receiving a lot of support from across the Valley, and it feels like they’ve got a lot of people rallying behind them at this exciting and historic juncture.

“All those donations came from somewhere and we’re thankful for all of that,” Johnson said.

WHS band students had the opportunity to show off another major milestone during the Mardi Gras event with the first public appearance of the school’s first official marching band uniforms. Johnson said it was a validating and uplifting moment for her students, coming at the perfect time to see them off to DC in style.

“That was so exciting and such a great moment,” Johnson said. “It makes them feel official. It changes how they walk. It changes how they act.”

WHS is one of several select schools from across the country that are preparing to perform during the Lincoln Centennial. Johnson said they will spend a week in DC with several performances and tours on the itinerary. She said they’re going to make the most of this unique opportunity.

“It is a once-in-a-lifetime deal. This is never going to happen again,” Johnson said. “They’re ready. It’s very exciting.”

Johnson said this is her fourth year at WHS. She said the band program has made tremendous strides forward and she’s had the chance to witness so many dedicated students grow as musicians and flourish into who they’re meant to be. She said all their hard work is paying off.

“It’s so awesome to see them step into these leadership roles. They exceeded every expedition I ever had,” Johnson said. “I’m just proud of those kids… It’s a great day to be a warrior.”

Johnson said they’ve raised about $20,000 of their $70,000 goal. She said they’re hoping to raise at least half to offset some of the costs for the trip to DC. She said they’re still raising funds through projects like their student cafe at the school. She said people can even support the band’s booster club through Amazon Smile, which allocates a percentage of online sales to charitable organizations.

“Anything and everything helps,” Johnson said. “That is a wonderful, wonderful start. We’re well on our way. We just have a little bit more to go. We’re going to make it happen one way or another.”

For more information, call 907-352-8293 or email jackie.Johnson@matsuk12.us.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com