Anaheim Elementary School District students and music educators perform on the first day of school at Thomas Edison Elementary in Anaheim. (Photo courtesy of Anaheim Elementary School District)
Students in the Anaheim Union High School District will soon learn how to play instruments while gaining music history knowledge through a new partnership with the Southern California-based nonprofit Mariachi Heritage Society.
Approved by the district’s Board of Trustees in a recent meeting, the music program will provide instruction in guitar, trumpet, violin, guitarrón and vihuela as well as vocals and ballet folklórico. Nearly 40 students will also learn about the traditions of mariachi music, such as its origins and performance attire.
The Orange County Register reported the program aims to expand music education opportunities for students as they transition into junior high and high school, building on an existing partnership between the nonprofit and Anaheim elementary schools. Starting this upcoming school year, students will be able to participate in lessons twice a week at Ball Junior High through May 31.
The afterschool ensemble will be led by Crystal Hernández, daughter of Mariachi Heritage Society founder and Grammy-nominated mariachi musician José Hernández. District officials approved more than $30,000 in funding to support the initiative.
“I know it’s not just about the music, but it’s the history, it’s the clothing, it’s the whole thing and I think it is a beautiful addition to our programs,” AUHSD board trustee Jose Magcalas told the Register.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
Marking its 10th year, OCDE’s Interpreters and Translators Conference will convene language access professionals from across the nation for three days of professional learning and collaboration focused on serving multilingual school communities.
More than 100 Garden Grove high school seniors completed six-weeklong summer internships throughout the district and at local businesses, gaining hands-on experience and building their career skills with the help of industry mentors.
The OC Register reported that 11 more Orange County graduates have been named 2026 National Merit Scholarship winners in the program’s second round of college-sponsored awards, bringing the county’s total recipients to 22.
A new law just signed by Governor Newsom would require the state Board of Education to consider educating students on heat illness symptoms — meanwhile, another bill expected to roll out this month would require rules for outdoor activities when schools encounter extreme heat conditions.
Another California law has been approved to ensure that classes in K-12 public schools will be taught by humans rather than artificial intelligence.
The U.S. Department of Education has announced changes to the oversight of some programs, with responsibilities for areas including special education and civil rights enforcement moving to other federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, according to the Associated Press.
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