Every year, Newsday sponsors a three-day High School Marching Band Festival at Hofstra University. Schools from all over Long Island participate, showing over a thousand people what their marching bands, color guards, and kicklines are made of. Carey recently had its time in the spotlight as well.

English teacher and newspaper advisor Brian Merges said, "It was a wonderful night. It's one of those events that really unifies a school. The kids have fun on the field and in the stands making friends and enjoying the evening."

Carey's 1999 half-time show is Seahawk '60s Rock, appropriately named after the classic rock-n-roll program. The band's opener was Louie, Louie, a song whose melody is similar to music covers all over, conducted by drum major Mike Everson. Following that tune was a medley of the swingy Your Momma Don't Dance and Devil With the Blue Dress, which drum majorette Tracy Romano conducted. This was the Pirette feature, and the dancers dazzled the audience with another one of their eye-catching routines, choreographed by captains Lauren Anania and Amy Tritschler. The finale of the show, conducted by drum majorette Hope Bagley, was the soft-ballad A Whiter Shade of Pale. This final piece featured the color guard, led by captain Tiana Butcher. Their routine added extra visual beauty to the conclusion of the show. The finale also featured a gorgeous trumpet solo by Elizabeth Nervegna.

A considerable number of seniors, including Christine Lutz, Chris Lee, Devjani Das and Josetta Foto, participated. In addition, some senior Pirettes on the field that evening were Katie Dunne, Mary Ellen Petassi, Bridget McDonnell and Kristen McKeown.

The Carey Marching Band was particularly rambunctious at Hofstra this year. In the stands, traditional cheers led by Kelvin Loh and Mike Everson got the adrenaline pumping. The two also instigated a cheering battle of sorts between Carey and Walt Whitman High School, but the orange and black came out on top. The crowd of Carey fans in the audience was easily spotted thanks to the orange balloons, pompoms and banners flying in the air. Brian Merges was there, of course, getting footage for the video yearbook and showing his school spirit. Other teachers in attendance included Kathy Liegey and Melissa Maroney.

On the opposite side of the stadium where the guests were sitting, the group of Carey fans was easily spotted, sporting orange and black balloons, signs, banners and posters. Parents, assorted relatives, friends and even boyfriends of the performing group members were in attendance at the statium, watching their loved ones perform one of the best and most difficult half-time routines in the history of the marching band.

"It is such a thrill to see the professional style exhibited by the band," commented Joanne Bergbom, Carey's student activities director. "The sound is phenomenal, and it looks wonderful on the field. It is a spectacle beyond belief."

As always, the marching band would never be able to perform so well without its fearless leader, Joseph Pallotta. It's a big, loud group of students to work with, and he does a great job with them every year. The color guard's advisor, Rona Pontecorvo, choreographs beautiful routines every year, and the girls on the team add a special shine to the field. And Laraine Rudy, advisor to the Pirettes, whips her girls into a cohesive, talented dance unit each year. All are to be commended.