News

Actions

Garfield Heights High School Students blow up RNC balloons

Preparing 125,000 for the finale
Posted at 5:20 PM, Jul 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-15 17:20:02-04

With the RNC just days away now, officials are piecing together the last few details, making sure everything's ready to go. 

One of those, blew up today inside the Q and a group of high school students filled the arena with décor no party should go without. 

"It's really loud in there," said Stephen Pernod, Choir Director at  Garfield Heights High School as he watch over them. 

"I was like going and going and going, and it was actually really fun," Alexis Cole, band student at Garfield Heights High School reflected just a few hours in. 

110 students  from Garfield Heights high school's music department arrived at the Q early this morning, and wasted no time filling it with hot air. 

"It's amazing like I just went to get breakfast and everyone just started already," said Sandra Doado, who's part of the choir at Garfield Heights High School. 

"I always seen like all the balloons dropping on TV and I always wanted to do it," Cole said. 

Since 1988, the iconic balloon drop on the final night of every RNC starts and ends with Treb Heining. 

"You know balloons always evoke a special excitement in people....it just puts people in a special frame of mind," he said. 

Treb Heining, known as the balloon man, is the CEO of Glasshouse Ballooons and at every convention he choses a local company to select a school that will help him blow up the 125 thousand balloons needed. 

"This is going to be the greatest group we ever worked with, their excitement level is over the top," said Heining. 

"We were so thrilled to be apart of it and to make Cleveland shine," expressed Jackie Sopko, Owner of the local balloon compnay, Balloon Crew Inc. 

In business for 35 years, when Sopko was asked about what school she would choose, she didn't have to give it a second thought. 

"It was a no brainer, since family had gone there...it was just like a dream come true for all the students," she said. 

And boy have they been busy, shelling out 20,000 balloons an hour. 

The students said this is a day they'll never forget. 

"Being apart of this is actually pretty big," said Cole. 

"No matter your political views or anything we all come together and help out...I'll be in the textbooks (laughs)," Doado said. 

For all their hard work, Treb Heining's company will donate several thousand dollars to Garfield Height's Band and Choir programs as a special thank you.