Students in the resurgent mariachi program at Chief Sealth International High School have new inspiration after a big festival trip. The story and photos are shared by Sealth teacher Noah Zeichner:

On Friday, 12 students from Chief Sealth’s mariachi program participated in the 18th annual Mariachi Northwest Festival in Wenatchee.

They spent the day in workshops, learning from members of Mariachi Divas, a Grammy-winning all-female mariachi group from Los Angeles.

In the evening, they attended a gala concert. Mariachi Huenachi, Wenatchee High School’s award-winning mariachi group, performed with Mariachi Divas, Bailadores de Bronce (Seattle’s premier Mexican folkloric dance group), and trick ropers Los Hermanos Escamilla. The trip was supported by El Centro de la Raza, who provided transportation to Wenatchee and meals during the festival.

Chief Sealth’s mariachi program began nearly 20 years ago and was incorporated into the music department in the early 2000s. The mariachi class disappeared from 2011-2014 due to budget cuts, but as a result of student organizing and community support, it returned last year. There are currently about 20 students in the mariachi class.

Mariachi serves as a cultural bridge to school for many Latino students, but the group welcomes students from all backgrounds. Mariachi is also an academic intervention and leadership development program. Wenatchee High School has documented the success of their mariachi program, celebrating a 100% graduation rate (only 40% of the students in the program graduated ten years ago). To learn more about Wenatchee’s program, watch this recent 25-minute TVW documentary.

In the coming weeks, with the support of the Creative Advantage fund, after-school mariachi programs will start at both Denny IMS and Chief Sealth IHS. The program also hopes to expand in future years to feeder elementary schools with the goal of exposing students to mariachi music at a younger age.

More than 450 musicians from around the region were part of the festival.