The M.B. Lamar Middle School Mighty Lion Band Honors Winds continues its tradition of excellence, as they have been selected the winner of "The Invited Band Program Spotlight" at the Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention in San Antonio, Texas. Lamar Middle School is the only middle school band program in the entire state selected for this honor. The Lamar Honors Winds & Directors will be conducting a clinic and performance at TMEA this coming February 12-15, 2025, in San Antonio.
The winner was announced this July during the Texas Bandmaster's Association Convention. The Invited Band Program Spotlight process allows the wonderful and innovative teaching that Texas bands are known for to be celebrated at the convention. The Band Division seeks to spotlight high-quality programs that represent the diversity of school environments and socioeconomic makeup of programs across the state.
“Nothing is done by oneself. It takes a group effort, a village to achieve great things,” said San Juanita Rodriguez, Lamar Middle School Band Director. “We would like to thank our wonderful Laredo ISD Administration, LISD Superintendent, Dr. Sylvia G. Rios, LISD Board of Trustees, Lamar Middle School former Principal and now LISD Coordinator of Innovative Science Instruction, Dr. Eduardo E. Lopez, Lamar Middle School Principal, Melissa Valdez, Lamar Middle School administration, faculty and staff. We would also like to extend our gratitude to VMT Principal, Angel Ramos, the VMT band staff, and the J.W. Nixon High School band staff for all their help and support throughout the years.”
“To our band parents, band students, and band directors, thank you for all the hard work and for all the sacrifices you make. Hard work does pay off and the outcome and benefits of this is priceless and everlasting. This experience will stay with the students forever and they will live a life of excellence from this point on,” said Rodriguez. “We are extremely proud of our band students. They will be able to do anything they dream of, as there are no limits to what they can achieve in life. Our philosophy in our band program is to give students the proper tools to be successful in life through music education.”
The award-winning Lamar Middle School Band has over 400 members in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. The Band is under the direction of Rodriguez and Associate Directors Fabian Reyes and Alberto J. Martinez.
The TMEA convention is the largest music education conference in the world with over 30,000 attendees each year.