MHS Alumni to March in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Tune into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, and you might see a familiar face or two. South Dakota State University’s Pride of the Dakotas marching band is part of the lineup.  Although SDSU’s band is in its 132nd year, this is the first year the band will appear in the iconic parade. 

The band has 300 members, including eight alumni from Milbank High School. They are: Senior Justine Wiik on cymbals; Sophomores – Camryn Phinney on clarinet, DeAndre French on trumpet, and Drake Rogers on sousaphone; Freshman – Jacquie Wold on clarinet, Natalie Meyer on alto saxophone, Isaac Sousa on trumpet, and William Karels on sousaphone.

The Pride of the Dakotas will be the ninth band in the parade and will be on the screen for about 55 seconds.  Fans and supporters of SDSU, including the Wiik and Karels families from Milbank, plan to attend.
While in New York, the band will also perform in concert at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The SDSU students are also scheduled to take in some of the highlights of the Big Apple such as statue cruises to Liberty and Ellis Island, a tour of New York City, the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, and a dinner and dance party on the Spirit of New York.  

Submitted Photo: Front Row:  Camryn Phinney, Jacquie Wold, Justine Wiik, Natalie Meyer
Second Row:  DeAndre French, Drake Rogers, MHS Band Director Susan Karels, William Karels, Isaac Sousa