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Marching towards magic: River's band fundraises for Disneyland trip
Marching towards magic: River's band fundraises for Disneyland trip
-------- Yearbook Staff
October 28, 2025
(CR News) - In March of 2026, River’s band will head to Disneyland for a trip full of music, memories, and new experiences—-but first they have to raise money for the trip. On October 29th, you can go to the Chipotle on 78th Street and say you’re with the fundraiser, then a portion of your payment will go towards River’s band.
The group will perform, take part in workshops, and explore the park—while learning from professional Disney musicians. It's all about giving band students a chance to grow their skills in a fun, real world setting. Instead of focusing on competition, the plan is to help everyone learn from work together, and see how their music connects to the bigger world of performance.
Junior, Izzy Carrasco tells CRnews “I think I’m excited to just see the way they are teaching us and what we are learning, I’ve also never been to Disneyland so that’ll be super fun.” She’s excited to see a different way of teaching style compared to Mr. KC’s teaching style. “I’m just most nervous about performing in front of a lot of people I don’t know. I mean, I’ve performed in front of our whole school, and in front of other schools for festivals and everything, but I think going to a place where performing matters most is just very nerve-wracking.”
Returning seniors reflected on their previous trips with a mix of nostalgia and advice. Senior Cooper Clabaugh recalled what he had learned from a senior during his freshman year: breathing, tone and posture were very important. It’s not just playing the instrument, there are other factors that go into it. Cooper says, “I believe that if you ever have a question, you know, in a note, tune, how a piece sounds, you should always ask the people around you.”
Alumni, like former student Steven Nemnich, offered a long-term perspective on the trip’s significance. He described the experience as magical. “”Hanging out with friends, doing stuff that you like… It’s really something else, it’s something that will stick with me for the rest of my life.”
Band director, Dave Keckes-Chartrey, emphasized that the goal is to get out and experience things that you couldn’t through high school. “It’s an enrichment thing. It’s an opportunity to do stuff you can’t through here. You know, the recording session thing and all of that stuff are things you can’t do here. So it’s a lot of fun.”
Keckes-Chartrey also tells CRnews, “You’re learning to do the team building, you’re learning to function as group and you’re getting educational experiences that you’re not gonna get around here. I mean, I can go on and on, there is a lot that you get down there that you can’t get [here], so that’s what really makes it worthwhile.” He also added that if you just follow the rules, try your best and work together—that will carry through the rest of your musical career.
Other than the chipotle fundraiser on October 29th, additional fundraising opportunities include buying coffee in late November or giving donations. With the countdown to March already on, the band can’t wait to bring a little Rapids pride to the happiest place on Earth.
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By Colton Eki
(CR News) - In March of 2026, River’s band will head to Disneyland for a trip full of music, memories, and new experiences—-but first they have to raise money for the trip. On October 29th, you can go to the Chipotle on 78th Street and say you’re with the fundraiser, then a portion of your payment will go towards River’s band.
The group will perform, take part in workshops, and explore the park—while learning from professional Disney musicians. It's all about giving band students a chance to grow their skills in a fun, real world setting. Instead of focusing on competition, the plan is to help everyone learn from work together, and see how their music connects to the bigger world of performance.
Junior, Izzy Carrasco tells CRnews “I think I’m excited to just see the way they are teaching us and what we are learning, I’ve also never been to Disneyland so that’ll be super fun.” She’s excited to see a different way of teaching style compared to Mr. KC’s teaching style. “I’m just most nervous about performing in front of a lot of people I don’t know. I mean, I’ve performed in front of our whole school, and in front of other schools for festivals and everything, but I think going to a place where performing matters most is just very nerve-wracking.”
Returning seniors reflected on their previous trips with a mix of nostalgia and advice. Senior Cooper Clabaugh recalled what he had learned from a senior during his freshman year: breathing, tone and posture were very important. It’s not just playing the instrument, there are other factors that go into it. Cooper says, “I believe that if you ever have a question, you know, in a note, tune, how a piece sounds, you should always ask the people around you.”
Alumni, like former student Steven Nemnich, offered a long-term perspective on the trip’s significance. He described the experience as magical. “”Hanging out with friends, doing stuff that you like… It’s really something else, it’s something that will stick with me for the rest of my life.”
Band director, Dave Keckes-Chartrey, emphasized that the goal is to get out and experience things that you couldn’t through high school. “It’s an enrichment thing. It’s an opportunity to do stuff you can’t through here. You know, the recording session thing and all of that stuff are things you can’t do here. So it’s a lot of fun.”
Keckes-Chartrey also tells CRnews, “You’re learning to do the team building, you’re learning to function as group and you’re getting educational experiences that you’re not gonna get around here. I mean, I can go on and on, there is a lot that you get down there that you can’t get [here], so that’s what really makes it worthwhile.” He also added that if you just follow the rules, try your best and work together—that will carry through the rest of your musical career.
Other than the chipotle fundraiser on October 29th, additional fundraising opportunities include buying coffee in late November or giving donations. With the countdown to March already on, the band can’t wait to bring a little Rapids pride to the happiest place on Earth.
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