WENATCHEE, Wash. -- For more than a decade, a program at Wenatchee High School has been raising the graduation rate for a group of students. Educators say those same students may have dropped out of school without the program's support.
Today, students are not only enjoying a 100 percent success rate, many students are now heading to college. One teacher and his relentless drive to get students excited to come to school is paying off.
"For me, my life kind of just revolves around mariachi," senior Yajayra Ramirez said.
Three hundred students throughout the district, from 4th graders to the elite group of high school students, are part of the program. The man in charge for the past 10 years is Ramon Rivera.
"This program is not just about the music," explained Rivera. "It's about becoming a leader."
When Rivera began directing the mariachi in 2005, 40 percent of the students in the program did not graduate high school. That statistic motivated Rivera to change the program. Academics and leadership skills are now priorities. College visits are a must.
"I know that with an education you can do anything," senior Joanna Avila said.
Many of the mariachi students will be first-generation college students. Most of the students' parents are immigrants working at the orchards of Chelan County.
"Their parents come to this country and their dream is for their kids to go to college," said Rivera.
Ramirez is headed to Central Washington University to study public relations. Avila just committed to the University of Washington to pursue a business degree. Both owe their success to mariachi-- a fun class full of Mexican culture that helps put them on the right track.
"They do better in school, they graduate and they become leaders," Rivera said.
Thanks to community support, the entire program is free for students. For more information, click here.
