The Seattle Seahawk’s Malcolm Smith might have won the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player award Sunday, but it was local talent that had residents cheering.
By Ed Birch, Special Writer
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — The Seattle Seahawk’s Malcolm Smith might have won the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player award Sunday, but it was local talent that had residents cheering.
The NFL and Pepsi recruited more than 140 South Brunswick High School band members to help out during the championship football game at Met Life Stadium last weekend.
”Our students (who were part of the game festivities) were the stars of the game,” South Brunswick High School Principal Peter Varela said Tuesday.
That statement certainly sums up the honor that was bestowed to the school district. Students involved in the high school music program were heavily involved in this year’s Super Bowl.
”We were asked sometime in November if our program would be interested in being part of the event,” Band Director Mark Kraft said. “Honestly, ‘yes’ was the only word that ever entered my mind.”
The students were one of five New Jersey high schools and other area colleges that had some part in the game’s entertainment and halftime show featuring musician Bruno Mars.
The students from South Brunswick turned out to be the only group of those selected to actually have roles in both the pre-game and halftime festivities, Mr. Varela said.
The students held up the tunnels where the Seahawks and Denver Broncos entered the playing field.
Another group held the huge American Flag that stretched out on the field during Queen Latifah’s rendition of “America the Beautiful.”
Others accompanied singer Renee Fleming in the “National Anthem” presentation.
Others also participated in the massive production of the halftime show featuring Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
”We had two weeks to learn the drills after they were finalized by the production company,” senior Drum Major Ben Zimmitti said Monday.
Mr. Zimmitti, who also plays the trumpet in the state champion marching band, was part of the team that held the LED lights in the halftime show.
”Everyone was excited from the very first second that we found out about this project,” said Zimmitti. “We all received cooperation from the teachers in the school for all of us to keep this commitment. This was an excellent way to end our highly successful season with this honor.”
Participating, however, meant that all those involved had to keep it secret for months.
”Every student had to sign an Oath of Confidentiality with both the NFL and Pepsi Cola (producer of the show).” said senior Tenor Sax player Sabrina Porcelli.
She said her role in the festivities brought her close to Queen Latifah singing “America the Beautiful.”
”I will long remember the performance, the stadium, and seeing the spectators holding their lights and seeing Bruno Mars,” she said. “Queen Latifah even took a group photo with our group, and she posted it on her Twitter account. It was an experience that I will never forget.”
Senior Bass Drummer Jeremy Otoo, originally from Colorado Springs, has been in the program for the past two years.
He joined the Vikings Band after being part of a Colorado band program.
”(It) was, in no way, as intense as this program,” he said. “Our staff really goes out of their way to make us the success that we are. In the last week before the game, we had some long rehearsals.”
He said the students had to leave school during the fourth block to get to the Meadowlands site for the rehearsals.
Mr. Kraft said the league and Pepsi are picking up the majority of the transportation costs of ferrying the students to and from the Meadowlands during the last two weeks.
The league also provided the students with food and gave them their show wardrobes, earpiece radios and a special cap.
”It got to be a lot of fun during the last week,” he said.
After leaving school around 10 a.m. on the morning of the game, the students said they were kept at an off-site theatre where they rehearsed one final time and were given their lunch.
The production company, headed by Rickey Kirshner Productions, provided last-minute details in anticipation of the big show.
The show’s stars attended many of the final rehearsals including the final dress rehearsal the day before the big show, the students’ said.
The students said they knew they would not be allowed to watch any of the game action because of the size of the crowd and stadium.
This proved to be somewhat difficult for Mr. Otoo, due to his Colorado roots.
Following the halftime show, the students boarded the buses for the ride home to South Brunswick.
”Our students performed very well at the biggest sporting event of the year, and in the eyes of the largest sports viewership contest of the year,” said Mr. Kraft. “I really owe a big thank you to my music staff, chaperones during this project, and to the families of all of the children for not only the level of cooperation they gave our program, but also for keeping the biggest secret, a secret.” League officials also commended the South Brunswick students on how they handled the moment in the sun.
”The South Brunswick High School students were a welcome addition to this project. They were extremely cooperative and it was a pleasure to deal with everyone associated with them,” said Brian McCarthy, senior vice president of corporate communications for the host National Football League. “They were not only part of the most watched broadcast, they were part of a halftime show that outdid productions of Beyonce and Madonna in the past two years.”
According to the league, some 115 million people throughout the world tuned into the event, beating the previous record held by Madonna’s halftime performance with 114 million viewers.
”I just find it truly amazing, that a group this size maintained the confidentiality agreement for the long period and provided what was expected from them and more,” said Band Director Mr. Kraft is his description of the program. “These kids will never forget this experience, and it was my pleasure to be a part of the production. You just have to love the community of South Brunswick. We all did the right thing.”