Denison isn't your typical rural American town. A close look at the western Iowa town shows a community that is mostly Latino, and proud of it. At Denison High School, the mariachi program serves as a symbol of the community's commitment to a program that helps students connect with their Latino roots.
Iowa high school senior Miranda Estrada is a star student, a trumpet player and a drum major for the school’s marching band. She's also part of an extracurricular group that, 20 years ago, would have seemed unusual to find in a small Iowa town: A mariachi group called Reyes del Oeste. “I grew up listening to mariachi, and it has always been a huge part of my life,” said Estrada, a first-generation student whose parents came to the United States from Mexico 18 years ago.
“They see a lot of Hispanics here, but they’re like, ‘What is their culture about?’” said Castillo. “My favorite part is being to showcase a culture to everyone in the community.” The mariachi program at Denison High School is now in its 13th year. Interest in the group is high and achieving a spot is competitive. “Reyes del Oeste gets a lot of people that auditioned for it because they’re like, ‘Wow, that’s my culture.
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