ROCK HILL, S.C.,None — Nation Ford High School's marching band will march through Manhattan on Thursday morning - live on national television - during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Parade organizers said they chose the band because it's among the nation's best.
The group has been in the city since Monday with an exciting itinerary;
A trip to the observation deck atop 30 Rockefeller Plaza for a breathtaking view of the city
A visit to St. Patrick's Cathedral
A tour of Central Park
A ferry ride to Ellis Island
A Broadway show
Their performance - a blend of music rooted in the Palmetto State - clocks in at less than two minutes.
The students spent the last few weeks perfecting it, following their third straight state championship.
Here's a guide to watching the band in Thursday's parade:
WHEN TO WATCH The parade starts at 9 a.m. The Nation Ford band is scheduled to be in the middle of the parade and should be on TV between 10 and 11:30 a.m.
THE SHOW The parade performance, titled "Carolina On My Mind," is an amalgam of music rooted in the Palmetto State.
"Carolina in the Morning" blends into "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" by S.C. native James Brown, which is followed by "The Twist" by Chubby Checker, also a S.C. native. It ends with James Taylor's "Carolina On My Mind."
THE PARADE, BY THE NUMBERS 1927 – First Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 1986 – The last time a York County band was in the parade (Fort Mill High) 150 – High school marching bands that applied to march in this year's parade 8 – High school bands chosen to march 50 million – People expected to watch on TV 3 million – Spectators expected to line New York City streets to watch 2.5 miles – Length of parade route
METEORIC RISE Since Nation Ford High opened in 2007, the marching band has won three straight championship titles.
The band placed seventh among 90 bands from around the country in the 2009 Bands of America/Music for All Grand National Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
That same school year, the band was chosen from among hundreds across the country to be one of eight bands to march in the 2011 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
U.S. ALL-AMERICA BAND Five Nation Ford High band students have made the United States All-American Marching Band, which is sponsored by the U.S. Army, since the school opened.
The students joined others from across the country and perform U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Bowl organizers bill the event as "the largest celebration of high school football in America."
Nation Ford's All-American Band members: Megan Sibley, tenor sax; Chris D'Avanzo, French horn; Claire Sibley, French horn; Jaclyn Turner, drum major; Jacob Lutz, tuba
MEET THE BAND SENIORS Nadia Afshar, Justin Ballish, Zach Berry, Shakeel Bhamani, Amanda Blom, Austin Caricari, Jaylin Carter, Vincent Izzo, Bryan Keefe, Kasey Knight, Phil Lanier, Jessica Law, Hunter Lewis, Lauren Loyd, Jacob Lutz, Lauren Reising, Christy Reuille, Martha Richardson, Nikki Rizzo, T.J. Shedd, Sara Tennant, Patrick Thiel, Art Thomas, Leanne Totherow, Ben Varipapa, Michael Wagner, Patrick Wasil, Nigel Wolfram
JUNIORS Riley Adams, Alexandra Best, Sarah Broach, Kyle Brogden, Joshua Cardenas, David Feeley, Dylan Free, Ian Giocondo, David Habbick, Emily Hessler, E.B. Hinnant, Adam Hoffman, Jacob (Jake) Howren, Hunter Jones, Kendall Juell, Jake Mann, Chandler Maskal, Andrew Merk, Allie Morrison, DeAnna Murray, Rob Neill, Kyle Packard, Ian Pilley, Max Reber, John Richardson, Crysahna Suarez, Philip Tassoul, David Tebo, Justin Walker, Serena Walker, Emily Weeks, Judy Wei, Stephen Zoeller
SOPHOMORES Rachel Adams, Tommy Aiken, Pearce Beach, Kelsi Berkebile, Jasmine Blackman, Hayden Braun, Dominick Carducci, Alyssa Collado, Alec Cunningham, Ben Drake, Jonathan Drake, Tia Ferrara, Brittany Gionakis, Clara Gleason, Will Grantham, Mallory Grieve, Chris Heidenreich, Peter Heil, Ian Houston, Jauwan Isiah Johnson, Johnathan Keefe, Owen Kinsey, Hannah Laney, Jenna Law, Abby Ledogar, Sydney McGarrigle, Nicole McLear, Megan McLelland, Alex Meredith, Hunter Miller, Sarah Morris, Chrissy Payne, Westley Renner, Colby Richardson, Hannah Marie Rozier, Kristopher Shanrock, Kaitlyn Sizer, Kaela Swanson, Sam Thomas, Tyler Tickle, Jillian Tillery, Blake Vandiver, A. J. Weathers, Melissa Wells, Andrew White
FRESHMEN Justin Adams, Zena Alsabbah, Kayla Barone, Kayla Bivens, Gryphen Blackwell, Jordan Bralley, Cameron Bridges, Gini Brown, Taylor Bunge, Andrew Burrell, Stephen Campbell, Drew Clifton, Wade Dean, Courteney Elder, Lauren Ervin, Bailey Fatool, Meagan Fischer, Kendra Hall, Abby Hays, Kelly Hessler, Skylar Jones, Hayden Lewis, Tyler Lubben, Caroline Luksch, Zach Lutz, John Marshall, Ben McCord, Andy Michels, A.J. Miller, Stephen Miller, Caitlin Mingonet, Fungai Mumba, Everett Newlon, Peter Nguyen, Molly O'Day, Claire Packard, Namrata Paladugu, Weston Pilley, Sabrina Roof, Chandler Rouse, Danny Schorsch, Dani Shaddix, Nick Stephens, Ali Swint, Johnny Tennant
STAFF Martin Dickey, director of bands; Ray Linkous, associate director of bands; Connie Grantham, assistant director Bill Register, Carla Sciandra, Ben Henley, Taylor Harrell, Carl Hames, Connie Akers, Marshall Woody, Jamie Ellisor, Russell Hawes