Supporting documents are available via the following link: https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/997
Board of Directors Meeting Schedule & Information: https://www.wwps.org/district/information/school-board/board-meeting-schedule
WALLA WALLA - For the first time in 10 years, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band returns to Walla Walla as part of the band's Coast to Coast tour, performing a free 7:30 p.m. concert on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Walla Walla High School main gym. For full details on the concert, please visit www.marineband.marines.mil/Tour.
Free tickets are available starting Sept. 26 (limit 4 per request). Seating is general admission and ticket holders must be seated by [15 MINUTES PRIOR TO CONCERT START]; remaining seats will be released to the standby line at that time. Click here to get tickets: https://marineband.ticketleap.com/wallawalla2024/
“We are incredibly excited to continue the tradition of our national concert tour,” Marine Band Director Lt. Col. Ryan Nowlin said. “Musicians of the band are more eager than ever to share their musical talents with audiences live, and in-person on this Coast to Coast tour.”
Nowlin has programmed musical selections in the style of the band’s 17th Director John Philip Sousa, who initiated the concert tour tradition in 1891. Concertgoers can expect a mix of works including traditional band repertoire, Sousa marches, contemporary compositions, vocal and instrumental solos and a patriotic salute to the Armed Forces.
“We have tremendously appreciative patrons who come to Marine Band concerts for all types of different experiences, so our programs are designed to include a great variety of music that mirrors the wonderful diversity in our national musical heritage,” Nowlin said.
Since Sousa was first granted permission to tour the country by President Benjamin Harrison in 1891, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band has delivered a White House experience from Washington, D.C., to the far-reaching corners of our nation, and these special concerts have been shared by generations of Americans. During the 30-day Coast to Coast tour, the Marine Band will perform 28 concerts in the following states: Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Oregon, Utah, Washington and West Virginia.
The Marine Band is America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization. Founded in 1798, the band has performed for every U.S. President since John Adams. Known as “The President’s Own” since the days of Thomas Jefferson, the Marine Band’s mission is to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
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WALLA WALLA – Recently, two communications specialists from the Department of Ecology visited Walla Walla to learn about the district’s innovative electric bus fleet. Thanks to a $3.7 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Walla Walla Public Schools is set to transition nearly half of its bus fleet to electric power. This initiative includes 15 new electric buses and necessary charging infrastructure as part of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Initiative Grant Program.
In addition to the EPA grant, the district has also received a $1 million grant from the Department of Ecology to support this project. The new fleet will consist of 15 electric buses, including six equipped with wheelchair lifts, with the first buses expected to arrive in early 2025 and all deliveries completed by July. This will increase the district’s total to 18 electric buses. The infrastructure for charging stations is already in the planning phase, with installation set to begin soon.
"Walla Walla Public Schools is leading the way in electric school bus implementation," said Department of Ecology Communications Specialist Eleanor Licata. "We wanted to learn from your experience as this trend is likely to grow across the state."
During their visit, the Department of Ecology team met with various stakeholders, including Transportation Director John Griffith and bus drivers Angie Ewell and Dustin Bezdicek. They also engaged with members of the Walla Walla High School Green Club, including students Sophia Templin and Ari Kim-Leavitt. The team visited Bryan Maas and Charlie DeSalvo of Columbia Rural Electric Association to discuss partnerships for powering the charging stations and concluded their trip with an interview of Superintendent Dr. Wade Smith.
District officials shared with the Department of Ecology representatives that they are witnessing a $400/month savings per bus. “A new diesel bus averages six miles per gallon,” noted Superintendent Smith. “When calculating the cost of fuel vs the cost to charge the buses, we are witnessing an average savings of around $4,000 per year per electric bus.”
“It’s been fantastic to meet all the partners involved in this initiative,” said Licata. “It’s clear that teamwork has been key to making this program a reality in Walla Walla.”
Keep an eye out for the full feature on the Department of Ecology blog, expected to be published in the coming weeks. To read more stories, visit Ecology Blog - https://ecology.wa.gov/blog
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Supporting documents are available via the following link: https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/997
Board of Directors Meeting Schedule & Information: https://www.wwps.org/district/information/school-board/board-meeting-schedule