Record number of students participate
in TAMIU's Fiesta de Mariachi

A record number of 550 middle and high school students participated in Texas A&M International University's recent Fiesta de Mariachi, a first for the fifth offering of the annual festival.
Betty Momayezi, executive director of Student Life, hailed the event a success, noting that students from 23 middle or high schools from throughout the city and region participated in the competitions held at TAMIU and the Laredo Entertainment Center.
High School Competition winners were classified according to Open Classification, or those who practiced after school hours, and Encore Classification, or those who practiced during school hours for credit.
Winners of the High School Competition Open Classification were: 1st place, Mariachi Orgullo de Mi Ciudad, from McAllen Independent School District; 2nd place, Mariachi Galas de Oro, Alexander High School; and 3rd place, Mariachi Del Mar, United High School.
In the Open Classification, the following were also awarded: Best Flute Section, Alexander High School; Best Trumpet Section, Alexander High School; Best Male Vocalist, Isidro Saldivar, from Alexander High School; Best Vocal Section, McAllen ISD; Best Violin Section, McAllen ISD; Best Armonía Section, McAllen ISD; Best Female Vocalist, Michelle Gomez, McAllen ISD; and Best General Effect, McAllen ISD. The Most Valuable Player award was given to Tiffany Cortez, guitarrón player from Alexander High School.
Winners of the High School Competition Encore Classification were: 1st place, Mariachi Nuevo Santander from Roma High School; 2nd place, Mariachi Oro de Edinburg North, Edinburg High School; and 3rd place, Mariachi Aguilas Del Norte, Eagle Pass High School.
The following were also awarded in the Encore Classification: Best Trumpet Section, Roma High School; Best Male Vocalist, José Luis Rangel, Economedes High School; Best Vocal Section, Roma High School; Best Violin Section, Roma High School; Best Armonía Section, Roma High School; Best Female Vocalist, Hilda Cintron, Eagle Pass High School; and Best General Effect, Roma High School. The Most Valuable Player award was given to Abiel Hinojosa, from Roma High School.
Winners of the Middle School Competition were: 1st place, Mariachi Galitas, United Middle School; 2nd place, Mariachi Escandón, Roma Middle School; and 3rd place, Mariachi Juvenil Halcon-Maroon, Zapata Middle School.
Judges awarded Discretionary Awards to United Middle School's Mariachi Galitas' violin section; Zapata Middle School's Mariachi Juvenil Halcon-Maroon's violin and trumpet sections; and Edison Junior High School's armonía section.
High school and middle school All Star groups were also announced.
The All Stars for the High School division were: Cigarroa High School, Manuel Montes; McAllen ISD, Michelle Gomez, Adan Moya, Dolores Samaniego, and Vicky Camacho; Alexander High School, Isidro Saldivar; Cigarroa High School, Lizet Contreras, Nora Bolaños, and Pedro Ramos; Eagle Pass High School, Hilda Cintron and Luis Perea; Roma High School, Abiel Hinojosa, Mayra Guerra, Karina Alanis, Hector Martinez, Luis Villarreal, and Danny Garza; Edinburg North High School, Moises Tobias, Vanessa Alejandro, Aissa Robledo, Valerie Patterson, and Becky Merrill; Eagle Pass High School, CC Winn, Rita Lopez, and Victor Escandon; Zapata High School, Cindy Gutierrez; Economedes High School, Erica Lazo, José Luis Rangel, Angel Carreon, and Aldo García; and Southwest High School, Jairo Salazar.
All Stars for the Middle School division were: Irvin Middle School, Andres Torres and Erica Campos; Zapata Middle School, Ademar Martinez, Robert Dietert, Ashley Valadez, and Adela Alvarez; Roma Middle School, Julio Moreno; Trautmann Middle School, Sonia Mares; Edison Jr. High School, Rosendo Ramos; and Cigarroa Middle School, Juan Villa, Wimberly Arredondo, Jorge Ramirez, and Josh Ramirez.
Fiesta de Mariachi sponsors were Sames Motor Company, Ford Motor Company, Ford Motor Credit, Laredo Entertainment Center, and TAMIU.