Senate Concurrent Resolution 578

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE NORTHWEST RANKIN HIGH SCHOOL "COUGAR" MARCHING BAND AND BAND DIRECTOR BENJAMIN BURGE FOR THEIR SELECTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MCDONALD'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE IN CHICAGO.

WHEREAS, the Northwest Rankin High School "Cougar" Marching Band, under direction of Bill Burge, was selected by the Chicago Festival Association and Bowl Games of America to participate in the 76th Annual McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade on Thursday, November 26, 2009; and

WHEREAS, the award-winning band performed before a nationally televised event with an estimated crowd of 425,000 in attendance on State Street in downtown Chicago, Illinois; and

WHEREAS, the Cougar Marching Band submitted an application complete with video, audio and photographs of the band in action and a resumé of the band's accomplishments over the past three years. Twenty-three bands were selected from the many applications; and

WHEREAS, ninety students were selected to make the trip to march in the Chicago parade out of 120 members of the band program. The officials of the Thanksgiving Day Parade commended the Northwest Rankin Band highly on their performance; and

WHEREAS, this trip by the Cougar Band was the result of a lot of hard work and tons of support from the community, parents and school and district administrators; and

WHEREAS, this band acted as ambassadors for the State of Mississippi. This selection honors the Northwest Rankin program's long, rich history in musical excellence and it is with great pride that we recognize the special accomplishments of this outstanding group of student musicians, who have brought honor to their school, their parents, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Northwest Rankin High School "Cougars" Marching Band and Director of Bands Benjamin Burge for their selection to march in the 76th Annual McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago, Illinois, and extend our best wishes for continued success in their future musical and academic endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Director of Bands Ben Burge and his staff, Northwest Rankin Principal Richard Morrison, forwarded to the Rankin County Board of Education, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.