The Schlagle Marching Stallions will be marching in a parade this weekend in downtown Kansas City, Kan

The catch?

They'll be the lone participant.

The Marching Stallions will march this Saturday at 2 p.m. on the corner of 13th and Washington Blvd. in an effort to raise more funding for a trip to Washington, D.C.

The band has been invited to participate in a Fourth of July parade in Washington.

“It will be an incredible experience to perform on the nation’s stage in Washington," said Reginald May, director of the band. "Most of our students have never been there, and many haven’t traveled far outside of Kansas City."

Starting at 13th and Washington Blvd., the band will march three blocks to the Internet Café, located at 1645 Washington Blvd.

The band is still looking for more donations to help pay for the trip.

"This trip in July is a terrific opportunity to expand their horizons and allow them to see an important part of America," May said. "But we still need to raise $25,000 to take our students and staff on this trip."

The band so far was raised about $25,000.

For more information about donating to the band's trip, visit schlaglemarchingband.com or call May at (913) 627-7544. He can be emailed at remay@kckps.org.

Photos by SUSAN ENLOE

Just after Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education members received news that music programs and athletic programs could be on the budget cutting table in the future, the F.L. Schlagle choir performed for those same board members.

Hopefully this performance will remind them and many of the importance of music, athletics and other non-academic activities in school districts. 

A team from Schlagle High School was one of 65 schools that took part in Quest Super Saturday at Washburn University Dec. 5.

The contest allows teams of high school students from across Kansas to compete against one another in answering questions on topics such as art, literature, history, math and science. 

Teams earning the top 16 scores advanced to the finals and will return to Topeka several times for taping sessions.

The televised Quest competition will air on KTWU from February through May 2010, when the championship team will be named.

The contest is co-sponsored by KTWU-PBS station and Washburn University. The Kansas National Education Association and Quest Resource Corporation are partial underwriters of Quest tapings.

PICTURE ID: Front, L to R: Kristina Reynolds, Kiara Withers, Amy Kong; BACK, L to R: Amanda Chambers and coaches Dom DeRosa and Shelia Blume.

The F.L. Schlagle Marching Stallions are looking for some help from the community in order to raise money for their trip to Washington D.C.

The Stallions have been invited to march in the National Independence Day Parade next July 4 in Washington, D.C. However, the trip will cost the band $75,000 and members are looking for some assistance.

“This is such a tremendous honor,” said Reginald May, director of the well-known KCK band. “We are elated to have been asked to represent our state in an event of this magnitude on Independence Day. But to take our students and staff on this trip, we need to raise $75,000.00—and that’s a lot of money.”

The good news – about $15,000 of it has been raised already. The trip would pay for 80 students and 20 staff members (along with other adult chaperones) to travel to the nation's capital.

Currently, the band is selling trash bags, sausage, cheese and other items to generate revenue for the trip.

"We’re getting donations by performing at a few events," May said. "Anything we can do—we’re going to do.  But without community support, I don’t think we can raise all of the funds needed. We are appealing to the community to help us get to Washington. Every donation, no matter how small, will help.”

Any community support would benefit the band, May said, because of the economic situation for many of his students.

Anyone interested, whether they be businesses, organizations or individuals, can make tax-deductible donations to:

Schlagle Band Support Group (ATTN: Reginald May)
2214 N. 59th Street
Kansas City, KS 66104

May can be reached at (913) 627-7544.

“It would be an incredible experience to perform on the nation’s stage and see the sites in Washington. Most of our students and their families have never been there, and many haven’t traveled far outside of Kansas City. This is a terrific opportunity to expand their horizons and allow them to see an important part of America.”

The band would be a personal guest of U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS).

Thanks in part to private fundraising and help from the Kansas City, Kan., Board of Education, it's already a busy year for the renown F.L. Schlagle Marching Stallions band.

The board approved two out of district travel memorandum's last night to allow the band to travel outside of Kansas City, Kan.

The Marching Stallions will perform in the Veterans Day Parade in Branson, Mo., on Nov. 11 and will perform in the 2010 Independence Day Parade in Washington D.C., as a guest of U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts.

Along with practicing, members of the band have been fundraising to help in travel. So far, $10,000 of revenue has been generated by those efforts.

"The kids have been working hard to start the year," said Reginald May, the band's director. "We've been hustling and selling trash bags and they've raised over $10,000. "

The upcoming Veterans Day parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11. In previous years, the marching band has performed in parades in St. Louis, Alabama and recently traveled to California to take part in a national festival.

• The board also approved out of district travel for the Sumner Academy Chorale and Women's Ensemble. The students from Sumner Academy will perform at the Heritage Musical Festival on Thursday, March 25.

Students will fundraise for the event.

Here's a video of the Schlagle band from a performance last year in Indianapolis.

After having its offense lead them to a 2-0 start, Sumner Academy's defense fueled the Sabres to a crucial victory against Schlagle Friday night.

Sumner defeated Schlagle 29-15, improving to 3-0 on the season and 1-0 in the Kansas City, Kan., League.

Sumner's offense jumped out to another quick start, scoring a touchdown on its opening drive. Quarterback Armond Brisbane capped off a lengthy drive dominated on the ground with the game's first touchdown.

However, Schlagle struck back behind running Jeff Jones and quarterback Herman Ming. Jones scored from 10 yards out, diving into the end zone to complete the play. The Stallions tied the game at 7.

After Schlagle forced a Sumner punt, Ming connected on an 18-yard touchdown to LaRay Young, giving the Stallions a 15-7 lead following a two-point conversion.

Then, Sumner's lightning bolt struck on special teams. Benny Parker, among the fastest players in the area, returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to help Sumner tie the game at 15.

The game remained tied for a while, which was good for Sumner, said head coach Todd Wassman.

"Our first two games were blowouts," he said. "It was good that we had a hard-nosed game. Schlagle's our rival and it's came down to the final two possessions the past five years."

The '09 version would come down to some late key plays as well.

After Sumner's defense held Schlagle scoreless in the third, Brisbane connected with Marcus Allen on a fade pattern from about 30 yards out to give Sumner a 22-15 lead.

The Stallions appeared poised to tie the game after blocking a punt deep inside Sumner territory. But the much maligned Sumner defense stepped up and held Schlagle at the four-yard-line.

"We had 29 points but it was our defense that won the game tonight," Wassman said. "We got some key stops all night long and that was the biggest."

After the stop, Brisbane led Sumner on a 96-yard touchdown drive to put the game away in the fourth. Brisbane connected with Eli Alexander, Benny Parker, and Vernon Vaughn on a crucial third and seven play.

(TOP PICTURE: Armond Brisbane scored the game's first touchdown, giving Sumner a 7-0 lead. RIGHT: Jeff Jones responded on a game-tying drive early in the first quarter.)