November 25, 2025 – The Eisenhower High School Marching Panthers are calling on the community for support as they prepare for a rare and prestigious opportunity in 2026.
The band has been invited to join the Western Illinois University Marching Leathernecks to perform at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade and Ceremony in Hawaii — an honor that comes with significant travel costs. To ensure every student can participate, the band is launching a donation campaign and asking for the public’s help.
The five-day trip will take students to historic Pearl Harbor sites, the Polynesian Cultural Center, and culminate with marching in the nationally recognized Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade. Band leaders say the experience is a once-in-a-lifetime educational and performance opportunity — but one that requires strong community backing.
All donated funds will be split among traveling students and band staff members. Supporters are also encouraged to list the student who reached out to them, giving that band member credit toward a prize for bringing in the most donations.
Organizers say every contribution, large or small, helps ensure that cost will not stand in the way of a student taking part in this historic event. Donations can be made through the Eisenhower High School Band program.
Donations can be made HERE.
