After five days in Hawaii, 43 girls of the Lake Highlands High School Highlandettes and quite a few of their moms returned home with wonderful memories of their time spent being unofficial Good Will Ambassadors.  The Drill Team was invited to perform on the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor during Spring Break and earned their way by participating in a variety of fundraisers throughout the course of the past year. 

Upon arriving in Honolulu and receiving traditional Island greetings of leis and kisses, the team checked into their hotel to recover from the eight hour flight and time zone changes.  Their full schedule began early the next morning.  Dressed in their traditional red and white field uniforms, the team arrived at Pearl Harbor to tour and learn the history of events that took place on December 7th, 1941.  From there they boarded boats that took them across the harbor to the official Memorial site of the attack over the top of the USS Arizona.  According to a member of the team, "It was very quiet and very somber as we paid our respects.  We stood silently at the rail of the Memorial and could see oil still coming to the surface from below.  We had heard that folklore says it's the tears from the victims below." The girls also paid their respects at the floor to ceiling wall listing the names of the 1,177 crewmen who perished that day. The inscription reads, "To the memory of the gallant men here entombed and their shipmates who gave their lives in action on December 7, 1941 on the USS Arizona."

The team crossed the harbor back to the USS Missouri for their 20 minute performance on deck which included 'To The USS Missouri' and several upbeat patriotic numbers. According to one parent, "The girls looked better than we've seen them look!  Their 'inner American pride' was showing and they were dancing to the spirit of the soldiers."  The team realized quickly that being in full uniform caused a lot of intrigue from other visitors and were asked numerous times to have their pictures taken. Later that evening the 'Dettes headed to a relaxing dinner at the famous Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

During the next several days, the girls went on a Circle Island Tour, shopped, hit the beach, shopped, surfed, shopped, hiked to the top of Diamond Head Crater, shopped, did an island scavenger hunt and shopped. One evening the girls were invited to an authentic Luau complete with firedancers.  In between dining on an underground roasted pig, the girls were asked up to the stage to learn some traditional Hawaiian dances. During the course of the evening, 'Dettes Director Shannon Carlton 'broke' the news to the team that their mothers, calling themselves the 'MuuMuu Mama's' and dressed in full costume, had agreed to perform in the upcoming Spring Revue.  Much to the relief of the girls, Ms. Carlton was bluffing and the April 18th and 19th shows, to be held at Lake Highlands High School, will be as planned - 'Made In The USA' - sans moms.

For more information about the Highlandettes, please visit www.highlandettes.com.  For tickets to the April Revue, call Susan Solomon at 214 343-6889.