WELLS, Maine — Every year, millions of people tune in to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as they're whipping up a sizeable feast.
With just three weeks to go until the beloved American holiday, a few girls from southern Maine are busy preparing to make their debut on the silver screen.
Sophomore Teigan Olsen and freshman Natalie Blaisdell attend Wells High School, and freshman Sienna Graham goes to R.W. Traip Academy in Kittery.
This year for the 95th annual parade, Teigan and Natalie will be color guards for the Macy's Great American Marching Band, and Sienna will be a dancer. The girls told NEWS CENTER Maine it's an opportunity they never expected to get at such a young age.
"I actually got in, and I was like, 'Um, this is a huge opportunity!'" Graham said laughing, recalling what the moment felt like when she found out about the good news.
It's a feeling her mother and Blaisdell's mother remember, too.
"We received an email," Melissa Graham said, noting her family has watched the parade for years.
"It was an email—and a lot of screaming early in the morning," Amy Blaisdell joked about Natalie's reaction.
Natalie has been taking part in color guard since the fourth grade, so it has been a big part of her life.
"Going down to New York City and doing something with people from all around the country—it feels (like) an honor to be chosen," Natalie expressed.
Bailey Smith has been a chaperone with the Macy's Great American Marching Band since 2014. She lives in Wells, is a former color guard instructor, and was the one who originally told these girls about the opportunity. Smith said about 250 students from around the country are accepted to take part in the parade's marching band every year.
"They set out to find the strongest musicians, flaggers, and dancers from across the country and put them together into this elite ensemble," Smith said.
For her, one of the most exciting parts about the experience as an adult is seeing the kids grow.
"They overcome so much, and they learn so much, and they achieve so much—and it's really an honor to sit back and watch that unfold throughout the week," Smith said.
For Teigan Olsen, who started color guard in seventh grade, the upcoming trip will be her first to the Big Apple. She said her favorite part about the hobby is the "family" created.
"You just come together and do it all together. It's amazing," Olsen said, later noting, "It's not a very individual type thing, so you need each other to do it."
The girls will start rehearsing with the rest of the selected students on the Sunday or Monday before Thanksgiving—and the parade begins bright and early that Thursday morning.
