Roosevelt high school Mariachi band performs at Central Fresno schools

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Students at Aspen Meadow Public Charter School received a nice surprise Friday morning.

Roosevelt High School Mariachi Band performed for hundreds of students.

Mary Nixon is the multicultural coordinator at Aspen Meadow.

She works all year to ensure students experience diverse traditions.

"Students see different cultures. And I think what happens is they see similarities in the cultures with their own culture. Plus they also see their uniqueness in their culture themselves." says Mary.

The Mariachi Band, or class, has been around since the late 80's.

Pamela Galicia is the band director.

It is a full circle for her- she studied mariachi at roosevelt high school and went back to teach.

She feels proud watching her students perform.

Pamela mentions, "They're practicing something maybe cross generational. They're practicing something maybe their grandparents listened to, or their uncles or aunts and listening to. And then for others, this is brand new to them."

Angel Alvarado has been a mariachi student since fifth grade.

His family is from Guadalajara, Jalisco, where Mariachi roots run deep.

Through school he has been able to keep his heritage and love for music alive.

Angel says, "Even from people that don't even play they say that music is one of the most important things in their lives. I mean to me it is. I can't do anything without listening to music, especially with me playing and stuff."

Roosevelt High School's Mariachi band hopes to continue spreading joy through their music.

The mariachi band performs for the Selma Band Review, Veterans Parade, Thanksgiving and Christmas Parade in Fresno.

On December 9th and 10th they will perform alongside the school's Folkloric dancers and Latin Jazz group at the Audra McDonald Theater at Roosevelt High School.