SAVANNAH, Ga. () — The Savannah High Marching Blue Jackets will make the trek to Washington D.C. Wednesday morning to play in the National Independence Day Parade.

The Blue Jackets have been preparing for this performance for nearly a year, after members from a committee reached out to Band Director Reginald Mitchell, inviting the band to perform.

The Blue Jackets have traveled to perform before, but playing in the nation’s capital is a unique opportunity.

“This is the biggest performance that we have ever done,” Mitchell said. “It’s been a lot of paperwork and a lot of details in regard to this trip, but I’d say it was well worth it for myself, my staff and the students.”

The band practiced long hours to be ready for Friday. Mitchell said they even practiced on the final day of school. However, students in the band said they know it is worth it and recognize the opportunity to represent Savannah.

“It’s exciting, but it’s also a little nerve-racking because of us being the first school from Savannah to do this, and us not only representing our school but also the Chatham County Public Schools,” Woodwinds Captain Ja’kyi Robertson said.

Co-President Aaralynn Lance said, “We’re definitely excited to show the nation what Savannah has to offer. We just hope that we encourage everyone that even though we come from somewhere that’s technically pretty small, you can go on to do big things like show out at our nation’s capital.”

The parade isn’t the only source of excitement for the students, however. Along with the performance, the band has a tight schedule, including a trip to Virginia State University and multiple of Washington’s top museums.

“I’m most excited for the National Air and Space Museum because when I grow older, I want to work for NASA,” Chief of Staff Zamarion Mcnair said.

Eduardo Juarez, the percussion section captain, agreed with McNair as a hopeful engineer. Both McNair and Jaurez said it would be their first-ever visit to Washington.

Mitchell said the band program has grown over the last few years and is hoping that this is another step in continuing to earn eyes on the talented students.

“The main thing I’m looking for is the continued exposure for Savannah High School and Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools,” Mitchell said. “It’s not just a regular parade, it’s a learning experience for us, and to be selected to perform at our nation’s capital for the Independence Day Parade, that’s a huge honor.”