GoFundMe set up to fund Eastern High School marching band trip to NOLA

WASHINGTON - A DC high school marching band is packed and ready to go on their biggest adventure yet, but they need your help to make it happen. The Blue and White Marching Machine from Eastern High School are headed south to Louisiana for a head-to-head band battle, but one day before the trip, they're still short of their fundraising goal.

The students of the Blue and White Marching Machine have been fundraising for months. Seven days a week, they've been playing at Metro stations, selling donuts and candy--but they're still about $14,000 shy of their $25,000 fundraising goal.

The trip is set to begin this Friday, and the group will be back in DC on May 1. They'll battle it out on Saturday with McKinley Senior High School's marching band in Baton Rouge, but it's much more than a competition. The students will tour historic New Orleans and visit seven different universities during their trip! Those plans include a stop at Southern University, where they'll meet with the director of bands and university administrators to discuss scholarship opportunities.

Band director James Perry told FOX 5 News Morning that because Eastern High School is a Title I school, they don't always get the financial support they need for big things like this. This trip marks the first time the school's band has been showcased in this part of the country in over 20 years.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the Blue and White Marching Machine reach their goal. If you'd like to make a donation, click here for a link.