Take 32 teenagers, some musical talent, seven middle-aged, overtired, stressed out parents, one disorganized band director and what do you get? Drama.  Pure drama. Academy Award winning drama.

Mr. Seeland: “Are we having fun yet?” when he was told he was only 900 dollars from bouncing the final check the day before the trip. He said it 99 more times in 24 hours.

Collecting final payments as the bus was loading, “I owe five more dollars? NO WAY, couldn’t be, let’s discuss this as the bus pulls away.”

Samree, the former Indy 500 racecar driver who drove our bus, handled the NY traffic like a crash test dummy, but we got there with time to spare. Then he called everyone “Home Boy” to get us parked four feet from the back of the stage.

We pulled in a one way the wrong way, got stuck going up the hill into the hotel, took down the “do not enter sign” as we entered, and got cursed out by a 107 year old woman in the parking lot. We pulled in a one way the wrong way, took down the “do not enter sign” as we entered, and got cursed out by a 107-year-old woman in the parking lot. She even said the "F" word and shocked only the chaperones with it.

 “Anyone seen Willie and Alfreda?” “Yep, they went thattaway, I think, maybe?” “Not me, I don’t think so, maybe, maybe not.”

Mr. Mathews checking the rooms, the halls, the floors, the basement, and the potted plants for missing kids. That police training doesn’t help much when the “perps” are 14-year-old Schor School Jazz band kids.

The Anthony Brown Tigger doll doing the “Jimmy Miller, Jimmy Miller” dance.

Marquis falling off of the treadmill. 

“Ewww, Mr. Seeland, the pool is green and slimy. Sooo, like, what time is the pool party again?

Game or movies? The Nets lost – Mike cried.

Charles D. trombone - , “It’s like a desert out there in this heat, a desert I tell ya, just a desert. I swear, it’s just a desert out there.

Said by at least 10 young ladies: “Pajamas, these aren’t pajamas. They just look kinda like pajamas. Lie, who me? Never!”

Pamela W. squared off with Mrs. Polito in the Great Pajama debate - winner as yet, undeclared.

Tara earned herself a spot on the Harvard University debating team against Mrs. Mathews, Mrs. H. and Mrs. P. in the “Great Pajama Debate of 2002.” 

Renee – “But…but..but these are NOT pajamas, really, just don’t pay any attention to the fact that they are pink, covered with little lambies, and I have fluffy slippers on. Would I lie?”

“Renee, try going back upstairs one more time and seeing if you packed anything else BUT more pajamas. 

Five other guest rooms phoned in a complaint about room 509 but when the chaperones arrived and had to pound on the door to be heard over the racket inside, Poor Willie, Marquis, and Anthony were all sound asleep. Only Mike G. was awake enough to remark “I TOLD you guys!” That means all of that noise must have been Mike practicing his trombone at 3:00 am.

“Willie, you are so talented! You could have won an Academy Award for your performance as a sleeping, innocent young man last night.”

The Rye Dancers - were they trying to be the Backstreet Boys or Backstreet Girls?

The old woman in room 600 - “Get Anthony Brown up off of the hallway floor because he must be breaking some sort of law and if he isn’t, just make him leave anyway.”

Mr. Mathews gave first aid to Jamie Lynn B. when she fell all the way down off of her platform shoe.

Gang signs. “Who, me??? I would NEVER do something like that!” said a very shy, sweet, innocent looking Alex C. And as Mrs. H can tell you, “No child would ever tell a lie,” thereby earning her the most gullible adult in the state of NJ award. Mr. Mathews and Mr. Reiss voted her “Easiest chaperone to con in 3 minutes or less.”

Angelica led the “Free Willie” girl’s brigade, but Mr. Polito and Mr. Reiss managed to hold them off for hours. . 

Jessica V, Victoria, Megan A, Kaitlin H, Jimmy M. went looking for Pinnochio in the Troll House.

Joyce and Victoria, “Is puller outer thingee in the dictionary?”

Megan D, Caitlin R, Maura, and Lisa ironing band shirts at 4AM

Marquis made the desk clerk cry by “harassing” her for pillows, water, and anything else he could think of demanding at 2 AM.

“Everyone line up to get in the bus.” “Don’t anyone go down near the stuck bus.” “Everyone get into the back of the bus, heaviest get in first to kick the hydraulic system into gear. Now everyone get out of the bus and watch it be stuck for another hour.”

Amira, “I did not call my mothers room 453 times. I didn’t, really!”

“Jonathon, I told your mother you were perfect just like you said. Now gimme the 20 bucks you owe me.”

Lillian, Nanaba, Samantha, Jessica, Katie, Ginaya, Megan Arico laughing so hard about flatulence, they attracted “Nora, the Stranger” over to their table. Sam thought she might be a stalker!

Mr. Reiss instructed TJ  on the functionality of a one-person chair, and not to think of the piece of furniture known as a “Love Seat” as permission.

Many members of the Schor School Jazz band played their own version of the Crying Game during the trip. So as we said.. drama… pure drama. We had a bunch of laughter, inside jokes, and some great memories to add to the drama, too.  

The band got a superior rating but we all knew they would driving up there. With minor mishaps like forgetting to plug in the piano, mouthpieces flying in mid-air, they’re still the best. As Mr. Seeland says, it’s all about the music.