Group set for Macy's parade

YOUNGSTOWN -- For the ninth consecutive year, The Youngstown Connection, a song and dance troupe representing Youngstown city high schools, will perform in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York as part of the America Sings national choir.
The choir will open the parade at 9 a.m. by singing "Celebrate America" by composer Mark Brymer and close it with a second performance as Santa Claus arrives in Herald Square at 11:50 a.m.
NBC's live coverage of the parade will be broadcast on WFMJ-TV Channel 21 beginning at 9 a.m.
Other plans: While in New York, the 12 Connection members, who have conducted fund-raisers to pay for their trip, will make sandwiches to serve with soup to homeless people and attend the Broadway musical "42nd Street," and Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular.
Youngstown Connection members performing in the parade are Ashley Schmidt, Arianne Ackerman, Michelle Holland, Ebony Hood, Melissa and Jason Rosendary, Kelly Cecil, Brandon Thomas, Daniel Colvin, Eddie Cortez, Shawn Tucker and Matthew Alexander.
Carol Baird, supervisor of creative and performing arts for the Youngstown School District, is the troupe's director.