Many Waltrip Ram Band students are calling it the experience of a lifetime.  Those are just a few of the words being used to describe the band’s trip to the recent Inaugural Celebration in Washington, D.C.  The Ram Band was selected to represent Houston ISD and the state of Texas during ceremonies celebrating President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.

Waltrip High School Band director Jesse Espinosa said he was glad the students had this experience and he wanted to thank everyone who helped make this amazing opportunity a reality.

From the moment the group arrived, it was full speed ahead.  On the Friday before the event, the students performed at the Old Post Office Pavilion, and on Saturday the band wowed audiences at the Iwo Jima Memorial. Later that Saturday evening, they repeated the performance at the 2013 Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Ball.

While in D.C., the students got a chance to do some sightseeing.  They watched the changing of the guards at Arlington National Cemetery, visited the Smithsonian Museum, and met with Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in her D.C. office.  But the highlight for many students was being present for the president’s second swearing-in ceremony and watching the Inaugural parade.

• See photos from the Waltrip Band’s trip to D.C. here