BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – The marching bands at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale received very special invitations Monday.
A formal invitation was issued Monday by British dignitaries for the schools' marching bands to perform in the 2021 London New Year's Day parade.
"To be able to travel across the globe to perform is incredible," MSD principal Michelle Kefford said.
"Our students -- a lot of them don't leave the state, and we are talking about leaving the country," Stranahan High School principal Michelle Padura said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us."
It's also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Parkland's young musicians -- a band that already boasts being two-time state champions.
"The energy that they possess, how passionate they are, they just speak volumes musically," MSD band director Stephen Rivero said.
Stranahan band leader Carlos Redman is making sure his musicians and dancers are ready for the big performance.
"These guys are inspired by music and their dedication really inspires me," he said. "I am proud of them."
The marching bands will join 8,000 performers from around the world for the event.
"They're all going to have to fundraise their own way, so we're really hoping the community will assist them all in getting to London," Rivero said.