Pinckneyville Woman's Daughter in Macy's Parade
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[An O'Fallon Township High School student has been selected to participate in the 2011 Macy's Great American Marching Band in the 85th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Emily Barker is the daughter of Diane Keene Barker of Pinckneyville. She is the granddaughter of the late Donald Keene Sr. and Joan Keene.
Emily will be one of two drum majors to march in the parade. She was chosen while attending the Smith Walbridge Drum Major Camp over the summer. The director of the camp, who also serves as the director of the Marching Illini, selected her.
Students were selected based on their musical ability and past achievements. The competition was open to students from over 14,000 high schools across the United States.
The band will leave from Central Park in New York City and will be cheered on by 3.5 million live spectators before arriving at the Macy's flagship store for their national performance in front of 50 million television viewers.
The band will have over 200 students representing all 50 states. It will be under the direction of Dr. Richard Good from Auburn University, and Dr. Jon Woods from Ohio State University.
There will also be 50 flags and dancers choreographed by Greg Lagola from the Cadets Drum Corp and WGI Sport of the Arts Marketing Manager Bart Woodley.