Dream Builders: Mariachi Band at AISD’s Sam Houston High School
By Ryan Hunt
Posted on April 12, 2017, April 12, 2017

"Dream Builders" is a show on MyArlingtonTV that highlights the ways our community is helping kids dream big, nurture their creativity, polish their skills and develop the tools they need to achieve their American Dream as young adults.

The latest episode focuses on the mariachi band at Arlington ISD's Sam Houston High School, 2000 Sam Houston Dr, Arlington, TX 76014.

El Mariachi Tejano De Sam Houston is a unique part of the band program at Sam Houston High School. The school has had a mariachi program since 2003.

The group rehearses as a whole on Mondays and Wednesdays after school. Both the Junior Varsity and Varsity bands earned a Division One rating at the UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest. The Varsity Mariachi Band advanced to the UIL State Mariachi Festival Pilot in San Antonio for the second year in a row.

"They take what's on the page, they take what's in their heart and they put it together and it just makes these kids shine," said Jillian Adams, Mariachi Director at Sam Houston High School. "You can just see the happiness and the joy that they have when they're doing this."

Adams directs the junior varsity and varsity Mariachi Bands, which are open to band and orchestra students, with orchestra director Kristi Tollefson.

" I think it gives them a place to belong. It teaches them how to play in different ensembles," Tollefson said.

The City's Office of Communication develops programming for MyArlingtonTV. Viewers can find MyArlingtonTV programs on the following cable systems: Time Warner Channel 16 and AT&T U-Verse channel 99, and streaming capabilities at www.arlington-tx.gov.

All episodes of Dream Builders are also available on the City's YouTube channel, Facebook page and Twitter account.

MyArlingtonTV Links:

Dream Builders, Arlington ISD
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