AUSTIN, Texas — The sounds of trumpets and guitars flow through the halls of Travis Early College High School in South Austin. But they aren't coming from a typical band.
A small group of students on campus is learning the tunes of mariachi, but they've added a more modern twist to the regional Mexican music beat.
What drew senior Jonathan Hernandez to the group was the style, but what made him stay was his roots.
"[It] was so different from anything I've heard," Hernandez said. "Since my dad is from Mexico, I felt like it would have been nice to be able to play something for him, and so I joined. And if he ever asks if I knew this song, I could try and play it with the style of mariachi."
The group is embracing old and new songs while still holding true to the genre.
Group member Sa'hana Demion said it is a chance to find themselves.
"I grew up not really knowing much of who I was and what my culture was about. Why is it so important and why people do this for personal reasons, like, traditions and everything … That's why I want to be able to do things, so I can find out myself," Demion said. "There's times it's like, being in mariachi, I kind of feel like more of myself rather than, you know, having to try hard to be like other people or just likeable."
Hernandez was unaware of how far the history of the group went back, but having the knowledge of how much weight they carry makes being a part of it extra special.
"We're part of something big, and we're still holding the history of it up," Hernandez said.
Mariachi's history in Central Texas schools dates back to 1972 when former Austin Mayor Gus Garcia found his love for mariachi through a festival in San Antonio. That sparked an idea to bring the culture into the classrooms of Austin ISD.
But at the time, mariachi wasn't a style that was taught. Fate would have to play a part.
The first mariachi programs in Austin ISD were officially launched by Austin-born maestro Zeke Castro at Fulmore Middle School and Travis High School.
"We have a guy [Garcia] that wants this mariachi program, we have a guy [Castro] who knows how to play it and so we started this," said Jonathan Rodriguez, the assistant band director for Travis High School's mariachi program. "He [Castro] had never taught mariachi before he started here at Fulmore in '79."
In an email from Castro provided by Rodriguez, Castro explained how he had accepted the challenge and started teaching at the schools to students who "were receptive and enjoyed playing mariachi."
It was a success that spurred Castro to create the student group the "Rebeldes," or the "Rebels," after the high school's mascot. They eventually gained local, state and national attention.
And it was a path Rodriguez also found himself on, and one that he happily followed after learning that mariachi doesn't have to be dated or exclusive – it only needs to be celebrated.
"I'm glad to say that we're still here. We haven't been pushed out," Rodriguez said. "The kids are still playing our kind of music."