Mira Mesa High Marching Band One Of 16 Worldwide Selected For Rose Parade

The Mira Mesa High School "Sapphire Sound" marching band and color guard has received an invitation to participate in the 2022 Rose Parade on New Year's Day, reports the Times of San Diego.

The school is one of just 16 in the world to receive the invite.

The president of the Tournament of Roses, Robert Miller, personally delivered the invitation for the 133rd Rose Parade to the high school and gave them a Rose Parade flag to keep and display.

“We are honored to receive an invitation to march in the 2022 Rose Parade,” said Mira Mesa’s director of bands, Jeanne Christensen. “The students have had so many hurdles to overcome for more than a year, but they haven’t let that stop their dedication and focus.”

During an invitation event, the band performed several musical selections on the school's football field.

“They’ve put in a lot of hard work doing something they love and this is the culmination of that effort,” said Christensen.

According to the Times of San Diego, this will be the second time Mira Mesa High School will march in the parade. They made their debut appearance in 2016.

Before then, the San Diego Unified School District had not had a school march in the Rose Parade since Patrick Henry High School in 1986.

To help fund the cost of the trip to Pasadena, the high school is taking financial donations here.