As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, students at Bob Hope High School are using music to celebrate their cultural roots and share traditions with the Southeast Texas community.
Mariachi Esperanza, the school’s mariachi band and only school mariachi in Southeast Texas according to instructor Kathleen Odom, gives students an opportunity to learn about Hispanic culture through a musical tradition that originated in Jalisco, Mexico.
The program began in 2021, when the school asked Odom to start a mariachi band. Although Odom had no prior experience with the genre, she attended classes at the Texas Music Educators Association convention to learn about mariachi instruments, history and performance.
“I went to the Texas Music Educators Association convention and hit up every class that I could about mariachi because I didn’t know the instruments, I didn’t know the history, and I didn’t know how they perform together,” Odom said.
The program has since grown to include 25 students. Among them is Luis Sosa, who has been part of the group for four years. He said joining the band gave him an opportunity to explore his culture alongside his classmates.
“I’ve never been a mariachi, and it’s like something from a culture. I was like, that’s amazing being able to do a familiar genre in school and like with different people. It’s really good,” Sosa said.
For Sosa, celebrating Hispanic heritage goes beyond a designated month. He said preserving cultural traditions means remembering the experiences and customs passed down through families.
“Just embrace your memories, embrace your culture, embrace what you used to do with your family, your culture, your traditions. Just never let that die,” Sosa said.
Mariachi Esperanza also takes its music beyond the classroom, performing at community events and visiting local businesses and the Senior Citizens Center. The group regularly performs at Port Arthur Fiestas, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, and soon Port Arthur Mardi Gras.
The students perform for the community free of charge, although donations are welcome.
For the students and their instructor, the program offers a way to keep cultural traditions alive while introducing mariachi music to new audiences.
