This week marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month and Scripps News continues to celebrate by recognizing the contributions and cultural achievements of Hispanic Americans.
Mariachi music has been a staple of Mexican culture for centuries and Scripps News traveled to a school in Arizona where one teacher is putting in the effort to help his students tap into their cultural roots.
For more than a decade, Tolleson Elementary music teacher Efrain Casillas has been unlocking gates and opening doors for children at Desert Oasis Elementary in Maricopa County.
“I asked the students what type of music they like and mariachi was what they liked,” Casillas said. “I said ‘well, I guess I gotta learn to play mariachi music.'”
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So he tuned up his skills and began helping his students embrace their latino culture, the music and the Spanish language.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Casillas is credited with creating the school district’s first mariachi group. He told Scripps News that he was surprised by how quickly they caught on.