The City of Middletown has confirmed that it will be contributing $10,000 to the Middletown High School Marching Band, which has been granted the honor of performing at the upcoming presidential inauguration parade in Washington D.C. This contribution supports the students and staff from Vice President-elect JD Vance's alma mater as they prepare for their moment in the national spotlight.

Vance, a native of Middletown and a recent addition to the political sphere, personally invited the band to participate in the inauguration following his own election as the nation's vice president. Acting City Manager Nathan Cahall remarked, "Vice President-elect Vance’s rise to national leadership is inspiring and a truly significant achievement," a sentiment that has spurred the city to fully fund the band's trip, "a celebration of Vance’s inauguration is a celebration of Middletown," Cahall said, according to a FOX19 NOW report. The donation ensures that the travel expenses for students and staff will be covered in full.

JD Vance, a 2003 graduate of Middletown High School, has made a swift ascent in politics, securing a U.S. Senate seat in 2022 and not long after being announced as President-elect Donald Trump's running mate. Information from WLWT points out that Vance's background includes a venture capitalist career and authorship of "Hillbilly Elegy" before his turn to public service.

Middletown's show of support is not just financial in nature, as the city also plans to honor Vance with signage and a feature in the January edition of the Middletown NOW newsletter, City of Middletown, Ohio - City Hall's Facebook page details. These efforts align with the city's joy and pride in Vance's national achievement. The Vice President-elect once wrote essays about the struggles and aspirations of a rust belt youth, and now, that very youth will seed the air of Washington D.C., with the sounds of his past, on January 20.