Hillsboro has a Mariachi Band. Sweet.

Casey Parks
Hillsboro School District mariachi band trumpets its success
http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2011/05/hillsboro_school_district_mariachi_band_trumpets_its_success.html
5/12/2011
Topic: Music and culture

Lincoln Street Elementary School has a mariachi band. How sweet is that!? Dan Bosshardt started this band a year ago, with the goal to get students involved in music, which are not necessarily part of the school band. The band is scheduled to play in front of the Hillsboro School Board on May 24th as a means to prove that the band is worth the districts investment. If they do not impress the Board, they will probably get cut. Pressure! Intended audience: everyone, musicians.

Key Poins: The band serves a few purposes: getting Latino students to connect with their cultural roots, brings families together, provides cultural insight and experience to those who wish to learn more about Latino culture, and provides musical education to those who are not normally interested in traditional marching band type music in schools.

Relevance: I’m not a big fan of mariachi music; it all sounds the same to me…though there are some songs that are pretty good. But I am a big fan of getting students interested in music! I just thought this was an awesome idea, to have a mariachi band. I’m sure there are a lot of students who hate the music, or parents who hate the idea, but it is awesome that it gets other children involved in afterschool activities who normally do not like what is already available.