VALDOSTA — Lowndes County Schools announce Sunday evening that the Lowndes High School Georgia Bridgemen band has been selected to participate in the Presidential Inauguration Parade on Monday, Jan. 20, in Washington, D.C.

“Our band will represent the state of Georgia, and we are one of only four high school bands selected to play in the parade,” Jon Bowman, Lowndes High School director of bands, said. “I think this is a testament to our students’ dedication, their work ethic, and their ability to play at the highest level.”

Superintendent Sandra Wilcher expressed her enthusiasm for the opportunity, noting that this victory did not come easily.

“This has been long sought after through many presidential inaugurations, and we are incredibly grateful that it has finally come to fruition,” Wilcher said.

“The Georgia Bridgemen have applied for every Presidential Inauguration Parade since 2001,” Bowman said. “The band was selected in 2005 and that parade made such an impact on the students and directors at that time, they made a commitment to apply every four years after that, and I have proudly carried on that tradition.”

Bowman and Wilcher both showed gratitude towards the local community for their support. 

“The efforts of our legislators, local delegation, and the persistence of Bridgemen Director Jon Bowman have been invaluable throughout this process. Following the challenges our community has faced — from Hurricane Helene and Idalia to other major weather events — this moment is especially meaningful,” Wilcher said. 

This experience brings additional excitement after the band’s recent trip to Washington, D.C., where they were scheduled to perform at the Lincoln Memorial. However, the event was canceled due to rain. “This opportunity feels like perfect timing,” Wilcher added. 

“We are incredibly proud of the Georgia Bridgemen for being selected to play in the parade!” LHS Principal Krista Pearson said. “This is a prestigious opportunity for our students to demonstrate their extraordinary talent, dedication, and resilience, especially given the challenges our community has faced in the past few months.”

The students will have just a few practices to prepare for the performance, but school officials said that they have no doubt the band will be ready to take their largest stage yet.