All photos copyright 2016 Ramona Monteros

Saratoga High School Marching Band and Color Guard from Saratoga, Calif. marched its first Rose Parade with 200 marchers and three drum majors and is directed by Michael Boitz. The Silicon Valley group has members from six continents and more than 20 languages are spoken. Steven Spielberg is one of the many notable alumni.

Saratoga High School Marching Band and Color Guard from Saratoga, Calif. marched its first Rose Parade with 200 marchers and three drum majors and is directed by Michael Boitz. The Silicon Valley group has members from six continents and more than 20 languages are spoken. Steven Spielberg is one of the many notable alumni.

Saratoga High School Marching Band and Color Guard from Saratoga, Calif. marched its first Rose Parade with 200 marchers and three drum majors and is directed by Michael Boitz. The Silicon Valley group has members from six continents and more than 20 languages are spoken. Steven Spielberg is one of the many notable alumni.

Saratoga High School Marching Band and Color Guard from Saratoga, Calif. marched its first Rose Parade with 200 marchers and three drum majors and is directed by Michael Boitz. The Silicon Valley group has members from six continents and more than 20 languages are spoken. Steven Spielberg is one of the many notable alumni.

Jenks High School Marching Band “Trojan Pride” from Jenks, Okla. was in its first Rose Parade. It had 260 marchers and four drum majors under the direction of Scott Hillock. The flag ranks alternated with the musician ranks. The town is located on the longest drivable stretch of Route 66, so Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, also part of Route 66, should have felt at home to them.

Jenks High School Marching Band “Trojan Pride” from Jenks, Okla. was in its first Rose Parade. It had 260 marchers and four drum majors under the direction of Scott Hillock. The flag ranks alternated with the musician ranks. The town is located on the longest drivable stretch of Route 66, so Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, also part of Route 66, should have felt at home to them.

Jenks High School Marching Band “Trojan Pride” from Jenks, Okla. was in its first Rose Parade. It had 260 marchers and four drum majors under the direction of Scott Hillock. The flag ranks alternated with the musician ranks. The town is located on the longest drivable stretch of Route 66, so Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, also part of Route 66, should have felt at home to them.

Jenks High School Marching Band “Trojan Pride” from Jenks, Okla. was in its first Rose Parade. It had 260 marchers and four drum majors under the direction of Scott Hillock. The flag ranks alternated with the musician ranks. The town is located on the longest drivable stretch of Route 66, so Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, also part of Route 66, should have felt at home to them.

Jenks High School Marching Band “Trojan Pride” from Jenks, Okla. was in its first Rose Parade. It had 260 marchers and four drum majors under the direction of Scott Hillock. The flag ranks alternated with the musician ranks. The town is located on the longest drivable stretch of Route 66, so Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, also part of Route 66, should have felt at home to them.

Franklin Regional High School Panther Band from Murrysville, Pa. had one of the most beautiful color displays in the parade, with Monarch butterflies everywhere. It marched its second Rose Parade with 211 members and three drum majors under the direction of Kevin Pollack.

Franklin Regional High School Panther Band from Murrysville, Pa. had one of the most beautiful color displays in the parade, with Monarch butterflies everywhere. It marched its second Rose Parade with 211 members and three drum majors under the direction of Kevin Pollack.

Franklin Regional High School Panther Band music, “Walking on Sunshine,” was perfect for the drill team and color guard with their butterfly flags, kites, hand puppets, and fascinators which called attention to the outdoor beauty that awaits visitors to our national parks.

Franklin Regional High School Panther Band music, “Walking on Sunshine,” was perfect for the drill team and color guard with their butterfly flags, kites, hand puppets, and fascinators which called attention to the outdoor beauty that awaits visitors to our national parks.

Franklin Regional High School Panther Band music, “Walking on Sunshine,” was perfect for the drill team and color guard with their butterfly flags, kites, hand puppets, and fascinators which called attention to the outdoor beauty that awaits visitors to our national parks.

Franklin Regional High School Panther Band music, “Walking on Sunshine,” was perfect for the drill team and color guard with their butterfly flags, kites, hand puppets, and fascinators which called attention to the outdoor beauty that awaits visitors to our national parks.

Punahou School Marching Band from Honolulu, Hawaii marched 192 members with three drum majors in its fourth Rose Parade. Director is Mark Falzarano. The band played in the 2009 Inaugural Parade for alumnus Barak Obama.

Punahou School was founded in 1841 and is now the largest independent school on a single campus in the United States with 3,760 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It is the alma mater of three presidents: Barak Obama (1979), Sun Yat-Sen (1883), and Richard Chinen (1976), president of the Tournament of Roses in 2014-2105. Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole (1883) was a delegate to the US House of Representatives.

Punahou School Marching Band from Honolulu, Hawaii marched 192 members with three drum majors in its fourth Rose Parade. Director is Mark Falzarano. The band played in the 2009 Inaugural Parade for alumnus Barak Obama.

Punahou School Marching Band from Honolulu, Hawaii marched 192 members with three drum majors in its fourth Rose Parade. Director is Mark Falzarano. The band played in the 2009 Inaugural Parade for alumnus Barak Obama.

William Mason High School Marching band from Mason, Ohio marched in its first Rose Parade with 330 members and four drum majors under the direction of Robert Bass. The flags mimicked the compass that was emblazoned on the theme float. Several ranks of tall flags marched at the rear of the unit.

William Mason High School Marching band from Mason, Ohio marched in its first Rose Parade with 330 members and four drum majors under the direction of Robert Bass. The flags mimicked the compass that was emblazoned on the theme float. Several ranks of tall flags marched at the rear of the unit.

William Mason High School Marching band from Mason, Ohio marched in its first Rose Parade with 330 members and four drum majors under the direction of Robert Bass. The flags mimicked the compass that was emblazoned on the theme float. Several ranks of tall flags marched at the rear of the unit.

Mira Mesa High School Sapphire Sound from San Diego, Calif. was in its first Rose Parade with 210 members and one drum major. Director Jeanne Christensen is a native San Diegan who grew up watching the Rose Parade with her family. She had a life-long dream of participating in the Parade. Sapphire Sound changed its motto to “Finding Their Adventure” through the school year leading up to the Parade. There are 28 different languages spoken in the school.

Mira Mesa High School Sapphire Sound from San Diego, Calif. was in its first Rose Parade with 210 members and one drum major. Director Jeanne Christensen is a native San Diegan who grew up watching the Rose Parade with her family. She had a life-long dream of participating in the Parade. Sapphire Sound changed its motto to “Finding Their Adventure” through the school year leading up to the Parade. There are 28 different languages spoken in the school.

Mira Mesa High School Sapphire Sound from San Diego, Calif. was in its first Rose Parade with 210 members and one drum major. Director Jeanne Christensen is a native San Diegan who grew up watching the Rose Parade with her family. She had a life-long dream of participating in the Parade. Sapphire Sound changed its motto to “Finding Their Adventure” through the school year leading up to the Parade. There are 28 different languages spoken in the school.