After a

couple months of transcontinental negotiations and local

uncertainty, the Fayette County High School band will

perform at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games

in Sydney, Australia.

Parents

voted 141-61 Thursday night to accept the Olympic

Committee's latest offer to include the band in opening

festivities.

The Olympic

Committee rescinded their invitation to the Fayette

County band and 1300 other American and Japanese students

who were set to perform at the Games in July.

Their

action triggered an international incident with protests

lodged on both hemispheres.

Kenny

Beard, Fayette County High's band director, took a wait

and see approach to the whole affair and predicted two

months ago, that the whole issue may come full circle. He

was right. The band will perform as originally planned,

and will be the only American band in the opening

ceremonies.

Fund-raising

will proceed in earnest now, with students moving toward

their goal of raising approximately $3600 apiece. l��]`+