Clinton student to perform in Macy’s parade

The dream of marching through the streets of New York during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is coming true again for a member of Clinton High’s marching band. While band director Geoffrey Tart had the honor last year, this time, it’s his student Bailey Waters who gets to live the dream.

“I’m excited because I’ve always wanted to go to New York,” Waters said about being chosen to march in the Macy’s parade. “Actually, I was supposed to go to New York my freshman year, and I couldn’t because of band, so now he’s (Tart) paying me back by letting me be able to go. So, it’s an exciting experience, and I know I’m going to make a lot of good memories that I’ll remember forever. Plus it’s also cool to be able to represent my community in New York. I’m excited!”

Waters heads to New York as one of many band students from across the nation who earned the privilege of being a member of the Macy’s Great American Marching Band, after passing a rigorous application process.

Tart was also a part of the Macy’s parade, when he and band directors from all over came together to perform at last year’s parade as part of the Band Directors Marching Band. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, one that changes your life” the band director recalled.” And because of that feeling, Tart knew he had to share it with his students.

“I was a part of the Macy’s parade, and I knew this had to be something that our students got to take part in,” he said. “I cannot explain the moment when you hit Herald Square and see all the cameras, you’re on national TV, then there’s millions of people on top of you, on skyscrapers, on the ground, on the sidewalk. The moment I experienced all that, I was like, ‘I’ve got to get this experience out to students.’”

When the opportunity arose, Tart put Waters’ name forward, and she made the cut, one of only 10 students from North Carolina who did.

“Being able to do this; I was able to start nominating students; it’s my hope, if we could, to get the whole band to Macy’s later down the road,” Tart acknowledged.

For now, he’s proud that Waters made the cut.

Prepping for the New York parade is no small task, and Tart said Waters had been hard at work… nonstop.

“So you start little by little in something like this, because this is something that’s a huge undertaking. She (Waters) will tell you, financially and music-wise, they just got the music they’ll perform like last week. Now she’s having to cram and learn, and they won’t rehearse until they get there, just like it was with us.

“It’s not like taking a high school band where you rehearse and you’re ready, you’re moving the whole unit,” he added. “These students are coming across from the nation and they’re expected to put on what you see on TV, plus march the parade.

“The audition, itself, was not just on music; she had to show marching skills, and do a couple videos. So the students that are selected for this group, they’re All Stars, basically, that you’re sending from your community.”

As for what makes Waters an All Star, Tart said it was her accomplishments throughout her band career.

“These are the students that have done All County, All Districts, tried and made All State and have done Honors Band, so that’s why it’s called an All Star group,” he explained. “Macy’s calls it the Macy’s Great American March Band and this is actually sponsored for Macy’s.“

“It’s an awesome experience, but she’s probably going to experience more than I did, so I’m a little jealous,” he said laughing. “Just like us, we had a good time, but it’s going to be, go, go, go, and that’s something I know these All Stars can handle.”

“He’s not joking, our itinerary is packed with one thing after another, but I know it’s going to be fun,” Waters interjected.

If that wasn’t praise enough, Tart also mentioned that Waters, to his knowledge, is the first Clinton High student get this opportunity.

“As far as I know, she’s the first and only student that has done this,” he noted. “Like I said before, eventually, I want to have more and more be able to go for this experience. That said, Bailey, as far as I know, this has never happened here at Clinton High. If she happened to be the first in the whole county, it wouldn’t surprise me.”

For Waters, there is excitement and a few nerves, but she’s confident her hard work will aid her when she gets to New York.

“It’s exciting more than anything, although it’s like, a little bit stressful,” she said, laughing. “I’ve been practicing my music a lot, the same as I was with the application to go to the parade, I had to put in a lot of work for that. And like he (Tart) said, financially, it’s a lot, but the community has been helping me. I’ve had donations here and there, and I appreciate all those. Overall I’d say I’m excited and nervous at the same time.”

Playing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will mark a crowning moment for Waters, a culmination of a love that started in sixth grade.

“It’s kind of cool,” she said. “I mean, I’ve been doing band since sixth grade and I put a lot of time into it, so it’s paying off. I’m very thankful for it, and so, it’s kind of cool to be considered the inaugural student that gets to be in Macy’s.”

Waters’ instrument of choice is the mellophone, one she’s loved since her start in band.

Now a senior at Clinton, Waters said being a part of the Macy’s parade wasn’t something she expected.

“No, I didn’t even think about it,” she said with a smile. “I didn’t know if I was gonna do marching band, but I saw my cousin in marching band and decided I wanted to, and then opportunities just kept falling into my lap. I’m really lucky!”

While Waters is overjoyed over what she called a great opportunity, she was quick to point out that there were plenty of people who had offered their support in making this day a reality.

Among those most proud was Tart, who expressed his deep gratitude for those who helped the first of what he hopes will be many of his students get to march in the Macy’s parade.

“I just appreciate the community backing her up and helping her out and and supporting her,” he said. “Because again, it’s a financial agreement, and of course, the school isn’t going to pay for anything like that. So she had to raise these funds to do this.

“I’m proud of her. As a student, she may not think that the director is proud of her, but I am, very much so,” he added, a wide grin spreading across his face.