TEMPE, Ariz. — The bell rings inside Marcos de Niza High School and students begin taking their seats. Most of them are smiling and laughing as they say hello to their friends and classmates. Seats are positioned in a semi-circle, with a music stand placed in front of every other chair. The teacher, Scott Glasser, greets his class with a smile and said, "Let's take it from the top."
"We started with ten students after school as a club that met once a week," Glasser said. "The next year, we turned it into a class with over 25 students. Then as time has gone on and even with COVID-19, we have two level classes with more than 50 students altogether."
He's talking about the high school's mariachi band, a group of mostly seniors who are passionate about bringing joy to people with music. Glasser said the program, which began in 2017, is an important part of the school curriculum because it showcases the culture and community of his students.
"It's really interesting because I don't come from a mariachi background at all," Glasser said. "And because I'm not from the mariachi culture, I learn just as much from my students as they do from me about the fundamentals of music, so it really becomes a community and a team which I really love."
"It was a big part of my culture growing up," Rachel Russell said. "Living with my 'Tita,' my grandma, she listened to mariachi music all the time, so it was a big part of my life."
Rachel Russell is a senior at Marcos de Niza High School. She's been playing with the mariachi band for several years and has enjoyed every minute of it. She can't describe the music, just that it brings so much joy to her day to be able to play alongside her friends.
"You just feel it in your heart," she said. "It makes me really happy. I can be having the worst day ever, and I come to mariachi, and I get to sit here and play for an hour with all my friends, and immediately my day is better. It's incredible; it's like nothing you've played before."
Listen to the band, and you can hear the students' passion. The combination of the violins, trumpet, guitar, and vihuela is a perfect blend that will make anyone clap to the beat. Add the vocals, and you'll be out of your seat, dancing along.
"It heals the soul," said senior Heather Englebert. "I love it; it's very comforting."
The goal for every student is to play great music, and they're now hoping to share that music with people across the country. The Marcos de Niza High School Mariachi Band has been invited to play at a huge conference in Florida, where string teachers from all across the United States will be present. For many of the students, it's the trip of a lifetime.
"I think this trip is the chance of a lifetime for them," Glasser said. "A lot of them had said to me, 'I've never been on a plane,' 'I've never gone this far,' and 'I've never left the state of Arizona.'"
"It's just an incredible opportunity, and I never thought I'd be able to get to do it," said Russell. "Especially with the COVID years, it cut out my high school years. So, I never thought I'd do that, and now I get to do that with people who've worked hard. I'm really grateful we get to go and teach people about mariachi."
The problem, though, is cost. Glasser said it's about $2,000 per student and 20 students plan on going. So they've been doing what they can to fundraise and hopefully get enough to cover most of the cost.
"That way, we can all have that opportunity," said Englebert. "Not just for us to go over there, but for people to learn about us too."
The mariachi band has a huge fundraiser happening on January 27 from 5-8 at Marcos de Niza High School in the courtyard. Admission is free, and there will be vendors, food, raffles, and performances.
If you can't make it but would like to help, you can donate to the band's GoFundMe. They say every little bit helps.
"It's hard to pay that much money for a trip, so it would mean a lot for the community's support," said Russell. "I hope they're able to learn that mariachi is for everyone and that it's meant to make people happy."
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.