Over this winter break, the St. Charles High Band went on a trip to Florida for the 2024 Reliaquest Bowl in Tampa, Florida. There, they played several songs, some with other bands from across the country during the halftime show, as well as a solo performance by winning first  place.

“We played with several other bands during the halftime show,” sophomore Carter Doyle said. “We also won four trophies, and three plaques.”

During the actual trip from St. Charles to Tampa, band members were exhausted. The single 20-hour trip overnight had drained the band members for the day. 

“The worst part about the trip was probably the seats on the bus,” said senior Christopher Cortez-Lopez. “They were super uncomfortable and we couldn’t rest.”

Besides the Bowl Game and trip, the band members also went to Universal Studios Florida, a large theme park in Orlando, Florida.

“We had a lot of fun at the theme park, and it was a nice break from the Bowl Game itself as it gave us a chance to relax,” Drum Major Maximilian Sheils said.