First-ever parade at Gov. Morehead School for Blind draws cheers, boosts pride
In all its 180-year history, the Gov. Morehead School never had a marching band until last week, when six students suited up in blue jackets with gold epaulettes and blared out the official fight song — a rousing anthem few had ever heard.
Their half-mile loop around the Raleigh campus qualified as the inaugural parade at the state’s flagship school for the visually impaired, where all six musicians and two cheerleaders heard their first bursts of applause.
“It was amazing, the people cheering” said Tyquan Smart, 14-year-old trombonist from Winston-Salem. “I thought, ‘Wow, I didn’t know it was going to be that loud.”
This history-making move came at the request of the students themselves — some totally blind, some with low but usable vision — on the school’s 180th birthday party.
They already had a concert band featuring a pair of trumpet players, one trombonist, a baritone horn player, a flautist who took up the piccolo and a noble tuba player. But they pestered music director Nancy Durling for a chance to play outside while moving around in front of friends and family who didn’t have to sit quietly.
“I guess we thought our school was old-fashioned,” said Reagan Davis, a 14-year-old trumpet player, accompanied by fellow trumpeter Kyland Hicks. “We wanted to spice things up.”
Gov. Morehead School dates to 1845, making it the nation’s eighth school for the blind. Today, 35 students from around North Carolina attend classes on its residential campus across from Pullen Park.
The school celebrated its homecoming with an open house and “goalball” tournament, but the parade made for the biggest spectacle, with a big assist from the marching bands from Southeast Raleigh High School and Shaw University.
The GMS players practiced once at Shaw and took trial loops around the parade route with their instruments, assisted by adult guides. Tubist Chasyn Cribb and baritonist Manny Avellaneda did the heavy lifting, but Axel Ochoa marched right up front with his piccolo.
“Just to be around people and hear what they sound like was huge,” said Ochoa, 16, from Rose Hill. “Getting to hear everyone cheer us on gave me a boost in confidence to know I could do this.”
Circling the grounds on Ashe Avenue, the bands played their fight song three times for three separate crowds.
“We wanted to let everyone know this is who we really are,” said Cribb, 16, of Whiteville. “It felt good. I was kind of nervous at first because this was the first time with everybody watching me. But then I said, ‘You know what? I’m going to do good.’ I have to tell you, I was grinning from ear to ear the whole time hearing everybody cheering.”
With the parade finished, the musicians packed away their instruments and pledged to make Gov. Morehead’s first parade anything but its last.
Meanwhile, there was goalball to play.
This story was originally published November 14, 2025 at 6:30 AM.