Pulaski High School gets visit from Tournament of Roses Parade officials
By Melanie Rossi
Contributing Writer
PULASKI – As a result of their selection into the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade, the Pulaski High School and Middle School band and choir programs welcomed the parade’s president and executive vice president to the village, June 27 to July 1.
The esteemed parade — which will take place on Jan. 1, 2024 — accepts only 15 bands per year, and Pulaski High School’s Associate Director of Bands and Director of Jazz Studies Michael Guerrero said that the school began applying as early as last May, stating the process “was quite a stringent one.”
“It’s a multifaceted application process involving a video of the band performing, photos of the band, letters of recommendation and a performance resume,” he added. “In the fall of that year (2022), we found out we were accepted for the 2024 parade.”
The schools’ band had been selected for the parade three times in the past.
This year, however, the Red Raider Choir was also selected — the first time the Pasadena Tournament of Roses music committee has ever invited a choir to the parade.
As part of the Tournament process, Guerrero said, “the participants of the parade are encouraged to invite [the officials] to come and visit to know, first of all, the students and participants that are going to be sharing their abilities and talents with the world, and to get to know the community and the families, the culture… The school and the community needs to then organize all of that and invite and welcome them to be part of that community for a short time.”
Coming to visit Pulaski will be the Tournament of Roses President and Leading Lady, Alex and Paula Aghajanian, as well as the Executive Vice President and his spouse, Ed and Lisa Morales.
While the president visits every community selected for the parade, the executive vice president’s visit to Pulaski is a “special treat.”
Guerrero said, “Pulaski was chosen by the Tournament of Roses to also host the future Tournament of Roses president… and that’s a special treat that we’ve never had before.”
During their week-long visit, the presidents will be spending time with the band and choir programs, as well as helping to fundraise for the upcoming trip.
“The reason we chose this week,” Guerrero said, “is because we have a June concert on the 29th, and we wanted them here for that so they could see the kids perform and we could play for them.
“We planned an event for Wednesday night, ‘Polka with the President,’ which is a fundraiser. One of the primary tasks when they go out into the communities is to utilize their presence and their influence to help raise funds for the participants’ trip.”
Being selected as part of the Tournament of Roses Parade provides only benefits, Guerrero said.
“From a community perspective, when you perform at a world class event… It’s New Year’s Day, it’s broadcast globally on national and global television, and it puts you, the community and the program in a national presence that is very rare — the only other comparable to that would be like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade… It spreads knowledge, awareness and appreciation for the program.
“Number two,” Guerrero added, “is that the Tournament of Roses family community out there really, really treats all of the students, performers and participants with the highest degree of admiration, respect and appreciation.”
Last December, the band and choir were able to participate in a “Familiarization Tour”, where they could view the parade as spectators, tour the facilities and prepare for their own time in the spotlight this upcoming winter.
“While we were up there… it was very student-centered, very friendly and welcoming,” Guerrero said.
For the students, the ability to participate in the parade fulfills the Pulaski music department’s philosophy of “paying it forward,” said Guerrero.
“Some of the students that participated in the audition process are not participating in the event — they’re not going on the trip to be part of the parade. So they worked and put themselves out there and strived to do their best for others. That selflessness aspect of the program is very important. The group that is preparing to go out there right now is paying it forward for potentially a future generation of students. And if that opportunity presents itself again down the road, that would be wonderful.”