By PAT NEWMAN
pnewman@TheCitizenNews.com

There will be plenty of stories to tell Sunday night when Fayette County High School's "Olympic" Band arrives home from its two-week adventure Down Under.

But before they return, there is tonight's big Opening Ceremony for the Olympics, following countless hours of practice here and abroad.

About 50 students, along with school band director Kenny Beard, can be seen on WXIA-TV's 11 Alive News at 6 p.m. (channel 6 for cable subscribers).

According to Philip Foster, chaperone and prolific e-mailer, the kids will play briefly and Beard will be interviewed by an 11 Alive reporter covering the Summer Games.
The students will land at Hartsfield International Airport on two separate Delta flights, with the first group scheduled to arrive at 6:04 p.m. on Flight # 429 and the second contingent expected at 7:05 p.m. on Flight #266.

Messages and phone calls home from students and chaperones have been very descriptive and informative about their experiences as participants in the opening ceremonies and their reception in their host cities. While most aspects of their trip have been positive, one negative has been the food or lack of it.

"Around 10 p.m., rehearsal was over the kids got fed supper. SOCOG, the Sydney Organizing Committee for Olympic Games, who furnishes the food, seems to think we should have eaten before we left the U.S. or we can eat when we get back. For a food and schedule addict like me, it changes my perspective on survival," writes Foster.

It's likely that the returning students will be looking forward to a good American meal and some extra sleep when they return home.

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