At Denison High School in Iowa, the mariachi band Reyes del Oeste reflects the growing Latino population in the city. In the 2022-2023 school year, Latinos made up 68% of the student body. For students like Miranda Estrada, being a part of this extracurricular group is incredibly important. “I grew up listening to mariachi, and it has always been a huge part of my life. To me, Reyes del Oeste is like family.” The school’s band director, Ruben Newell, said the changing demographics in the student population made him reconsider how a program could be created that would better suit their needs. The mariachi band is now in its 13th year at Denison High School, becoming so well known that they are often reached out to by community members for paid performances. Read more at the link in bio.