A Central Coast band teacher will spend Thursday thousands of miles from home with hundreds of colleagues performing in the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
Jessica Husselstein will be a member of a 400-person band made up of other band directors from across the United States, Mexico and Canada to play and march in the annual televised parade.
Husselstein, who has worked for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District for 19 years, is the band director at Tommie Kunst Junior High and Tunnell Elementary School.
For the parade, she will play the piccolo, her favorite musical instrument among the many she plays.
However, she has a more practical reason for her musical instrument pick for the parade performance.
“Most importantly, it fits in my carry-on bag,” she said in a news release.
Husselstein’s students remain excited about the possibility of seeing her on TV, although she warned them she might not be visible among the 400 band directors.
“The joy is in playing and performing with other band directors who value teaching and learning,” she added.
It won’t be the first national parade Husselstein performs in with her selection occurring because she participated in the inaugural Saluting America’s Band Directors marching band in the 2022 New Year’s Day Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.
The Saluting America’s Band Directors parade entry theme, “America’s band directors: We teach music. We teach life,” will “recognize the extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of band directors and music educators everywhere.
“Throughout their careers, the music educators in this band have collectively mentored and taught hundreds of thousands of students. These professionals not only teach and direct music, they teach about life itself.”
Husselstein noted the influence participating in band had on her as a student and continues to have on her life.
“Having the chance to participate in band throughout my own public school education shaped the values and work ethic I have today,” Husselstein said. “SMBSD has amazing student access to music, and I love having the opportunity to pass on those values as a band director.
“I never imagined I’d get to be a performer in a parade again, so I’m just over the moon excited to march in the Macy’s event.”
The 400 performers practiced together for the first time in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
The 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade can be viewed on NBC affiliates, including KSBY-TV Channel 6, or Peacock starting at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.