As Northwest Guilford High School was dismissed Tuesday afternoon, a sea of band students rushed through the halls and into their music classroom for their last rehearsal before winter break.
After dropping their backpacks at the door, picking up their clarinets, trumpets and sousaphones, they began practicing a jazzy arrangement of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.
In a couple of weeks, this will be one of three songs they play in the New Year's Day parade in Rome for an audience of roughly 25 million people — including the Pope.
Tenth grader Elsie King is one of about 85 students going on the trip.
“I'm super excited," King said. "I've never been out of the country before, so this is gonna be such a cool experience.”
Caitlyn Wood, in the grade below, just moved to the area and picked the school after learning that the band was going to Rome. But the chance to travel isn’t all she’s gotten out of the program.
“My confidence level from when I got here, being like completely new to the area, not knowing anybody to like now, skyrocketed," Wood said. "It's insanely different."
After practicing the first number, band director Brian McMath leads them in the classic song Sweet Caroline, by Neil Diamond.
“I just wanted to make sure that we took a little bit of the Carolinas with us," McMath said. "So if I can get 25 million people from around the world to go 'bom, bom, bom,' then I feel like I've done a great job.”
This is his 21st year teaching band at Northwest Guilford High. And when the school year ends, he’ll be retiring. McMath says he hopes this trip helps his students conquer their fears around performance and traveling to new places.
“If you're nervous and you're scared, great, try anyway," McMath said. "Put it into your music, march even taller and better and just try and have a good time, because that's all it's ever about.”
They close out their rehearsal with one last song: Celebration by Kool & The Gang.
The band leaves for Italy on Dec. 27 — and that calls for a celebration indeed.
Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.