Latest news with #SouthShoreDrillTeam
CBS News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
South Shore Drill Team celebrates 45-year anniversary in June with performance at Gary Comer Youth Center
The South Shore Drill Team Performing Arts Ensemble has dazzled audiences for 45 years. In June, current and former members, including CBS News Chicago's own Darius Johnson, will honor the legacy of the group with a special performance. Inside the gym, on the stage, every clap and count is calibrated. Far beyond a routine, it's a ritual. The South Shore Drill Team was founded by Arthur Robertson, a Chicago Public Schools teacher who wanted to give young people a place to belong. It started in 1980 with just four members. Today, it has served thousands of young people. In 2025, they are marking that legacy with a full-circle moment as members past and present return to perform together. "Forty-five years, that's not something easy to do," said alum William Lamb. For many, the drill team is home, and once you're in, you never really leave. "It feels very good to see old faces that used to be on the drill team," said Morgan Keating, pee-wee captain. "Once you're here, you're family," Lamb said. Lamb's journey began a decade ago; now he's returned for the spring show, because the 45th anniversary hits different. "It's going to be a full-circle moment for me, because my first spring show was the 35th anniversary," he said. For current members and alumni, it's not just about the moves, it's about the message. Performing on stage is a bigger feeling than anyone can imagine. The energy is so infectious, it even resonates among the youngest members of the team; the pee-wees. "One thing I love about being on the drill team is doing parades all the time, and also performing in shows," Keating said. Keating has performed on the team for the last two and a half years. Her love for the team started at an early age, thanks to her family. "My uncle is on drill team," she said. "I used to always love watching him teach and perform also." That same uncle is still teaching today, and Keating is now a captain. With that title comes responsibility. "You always have to lead by example, even though others aren't doing it," Keating said. And it takes practice to become perfect. "I'd be lying to you if I said I got everything right away," said Lamb. But with time, it all becomes second nature, and the reward is even bigger than the stage. "The drill team is more than just you have teammates. You have your brothers and sisters," Lamb said. "The bonds that you build with these people are bonds that will last a lifetime." Over the last four decades, the team has taken those bonds across the world, from the Bud Billiken Parade to presidential inaugurations and even to Morocco. And yet the heart of it all has always been home in Chicago. "If you spent plenty of months working on something, of course you want to display that to the people," Lamb said. And that's what they'll do this summer as they celebrate 45 years of family, formation, and show-stopping pride. "I'm really looking forward to the show, and showing off my moves and how good I am," Keating said. "It was always success, it was always excellence. That showed that we were good at what we were doing. The mission of the drill team still lives on today. So that's the excitement for me," said Lamb. The South Shore Drill Team's spring show will celebrate 45 years of performance on June 14 at 6 p.m. at the Gary Comer Youth Center in Greater Grand Crossing.
Chicago Tribune
26-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
For many residents, Memorial Day parade in Aurora a longstanding tradition: ‘We come every year'
Lauren Wasulko and her family have a tradition of attending Aurora's Memorial Day parade. 'We come every year and I always did it as a kid,' she said as she and her family awaited the start of the city's Memorial Day parade Monday morning. 'We love Aurora and we love the United States and supporting our local community. We love the marching bands and supporting the local high schools. The kids love coming to the parade and already asked me to pack the candy bags so they can get the candy and wave to the local heroes.' Beginning at 10 a.m., the parade stepped off at Benton Street and River Street in downtown Aurora where crowds had gathered throughout the morning to enjoy the event. The parade grand marshal was Arlen Peterson, 89, who has lived in Aurora for more than 60 years and served in Germany as a member of the U.S. Army from 1954-1955. Jim Cather of Oswego, who is a first cousin of Peterson, stood along River Street as the parade was about to begin and said for him, the holiday is meaningful as 'my dad and all of his brothers were in World War II.' 'Arlen was 11 years younger and he went into the military at 18 and didn't serve in any war but it meant a lot to him to do what his uncles did (serve in the military),' he said. The parade featured local marching bands, veterans groups and military organizations, the South Shore Drill Team, Lamplighters Barbershop Chorus and more. Jon Zaghloul, communications manager for the city of Aurora, said the parade continues to be a significant part of residents' celebration of Memorial Day. 'The city of Aurora finds itself doing its best at all times to honor a strong veteran community,' he said. 'That's evident through the multitude of parades and the way we honor them throughout the year. We have Memorial Day and Veterans Day parades as well as multiple events for the Fourth of July.' Zaghloul said the Memorial Day parade 'is really a two-fold event.' 'Number one, we get the opportunity to honor all of the brave men and women who have served this country and lost their lives to protect our freedom,' he said. 'Secondly, it's a great opportunity to bring people together and have a community gathering and fellowship and really take pride in Aurora.' Stacy Cather said she 'was lucky to be off work and come and honor the veterans that have passed before us.' 'Today is especially important as we know the man of honor (Arlen Peterson) and the sacrifices he's made and all the friends he's lost,' she said. Bob Mead of Oswego was part of the Roosevelt Aurora American Legion Post 84 float in the parade and said he served in the Army. 'I always like getting together with my fellow veterans and seeing the crowd,' he said of the parade. 'I look forward to it every year. It's a great day.'
