Mariachi band brings Latino students to the arts at Mount Vernon High School

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. - "It feels very empowering, knowing that you are in the front line of change," said Diana Soriano, with an air of pride. She plays the guitarrón in Mount Vernon High School’s Mariachi band. "It’s considered the bass in Mariachi."

Ramón Rivera, the director of both the Mount Vernon High School Mariachi and Folklorico programs, explains that the class helps students connect with their Mexican roots. 

"Some of the students didn’t participate in music programs because they were playing classical music. But now with Mariachi music, we have a lot of students that are coming from Mexico. We have students from Oaxaca, from Michoacan. They want to find the music that they relate to," Rivera said.

Soriano says she’s always been a music kid. She’s already been in the band for three years and, while she’s already a senior, she wants to continue playing the Mexican classics even after graduation. 

"I’m definitely not going to put down this guitarrón any time soon," Soriano said.

Mr. Rivera previously led Mariachi Huenachi at Wenatchee High School. He believes the benefits of music classes extend far beyond the melodies.

"Every study shows that kids do better in school when kids are in music, when kids are in dance," Rivera said. "Their test scores go up. Their discipline goes up."

One of Rivera’s students backs him up on that. Fred Bazante, who plays the guitar in the Mariachi band, explains that while practicing requires a time commitment, he’s learned to use his time efficiently. 

"My grades, thanks to this class, they have gone up. They have maintained that way and it is thanks to Mr. Rivera that I’ve gotten the hang of organization and all the chaos I can manage," Bazante said.

"We needed this in the west side of the state. In the west side of the state, we didn’t have a lot of Mariachi programs or Folklorico programs, but now I see it growing," Rivera said. "They have them in Long Beach, WA, they have them in the Burien School District. They are starting in Bellingham."

Now, Rivera says he's looking forward to the future, confident that the tradition will continue to be passed down. 

"I think the next capital of Mariachi is going to be right here in the Pacific Northwest. Todo es possible. It’s going to be beautiful," Rivera said.

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