Friday's Capital Christian High School football game will feature something never before seen at the school: a halftime marching band performance.

Jim "Papa" Reber is the school's band director, and said the program took about two and a half years to start.

"It's a big thing for us," Reber said. "It's nothing if you're Rosemont High School or Elk Grove High School, because they've been doing it for years."

Click on the image to the right to watch a video of the Capital Christian School marching band practicing.

The Cougars marching band also has a unique feature: most of its members are in elementary school. Its 100-or-so members range in age from third grade to high school, but most are on the younger side, Reber said.

That has led to challenges finding enough time to pull students out of class for practice, as well as the delicate task of telling young students they may not be able to play their first instrument of choice.

"Not everybody can play the trumpet," Reber said, noting that small third graders have trouble producing a sound on the difficult brass instrument.

Reber said Friday's performance will be "short and sweet," but he hopes to build a full-fledged marching band that will eventually be able to compete against other schools in the area. Reber said the fact that Capital Christian is building a marching band program shows that it can hold its own against other schools.

"I think the one thing that comes to mind is there is a perception that many people have that Christian schools don't offer the kinds of services and/or classes that many of the public schools do," he said. "That's just not true."

He cited the school's AP and honors classes, its pep band that receives coaching from professional players, and the fact that music is integrated into the curriculum starting in kindergarten.

Friday's football game, the final home contest of the season, will also feature a tribute to the school's seniors and its Jr. Cougar football players and cheerleaders. A spaghetti dinner and silent auction will be held before the game to benefit the new marching band program. The dinner will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the stadium entrance, and will cost $3 per person or $10 for a family of four.