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Northwoods students perform in the Tournament of Roses

Northwoods Marching Band Facebook

Hundreds of Wisconsin students marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade Monday morning.

After years of planning and preparation, the Northwoods Marching Band made it to sunny Pasadena, California.

Students described the experience as a moment they will never forget.

The Northwoods Marching Band was comprised of eight local schools: Antigo, D.C. Everest, Mosinee, Northland Pines, Wausau East, Lakeland, Merrill and Three Lakes High School.

All took center stage on the parade route, showing off their skills made in Wisconsin.

"(I will) carry this pride around with me for the rest of my life," Josie Reif, a junior at Antigo High School, said.

After months of hard work, emotions were going through the roof, and performer Sydney Swartz said she was holding back tears calling the experience 'absolutely surreal.'

"It was such a cool moment, and it was just like if you are not going to do it for yourself you have to do it for everyone else because you're so proud of everyone around you," Swartz said.

The band paid homage to the badger state with original music composed by former UW-Madison band director Michael Leckron, creating a mash-up of "America the Beautiful" and "On Wisconsin."

The Northwoods Marching Band performance can be found on Facebook.

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