October 2026
By Christal Orozco Jaimes and Aritzy Escobedo Perez, Staff Reporters
After our high school’s band program ended, the instruments now sit unused in storage. They gather dust and remind us of a place many students loved. This space once offered creativity and community, but now it leaves students wondering where they can find comfort and expression. With classes on pause and the old band room temporarily being used for senior seminar, a pressing question weighs on the minds of students and staff alike. What are we going to do with the band instruments?
According to Associate School Leader George Ramirez and Principal Annette DeLeon, the decision to step back from the band program was deliberate and temporary. The goal is not to abandon music entirely. “The band program just needed a rest,” Mr. Ramirez explained. Last year did not go as planned, so rather than closing the program is a pause to rebuild and improve the program. Principal DeLeon emphasized that bringing back music is essential because of its therapeutic and healing impact on students. Her goal is to build a full program over the next two years that promotes diversity, incorporating new instruments like violins, a mariachi group, and baile folklórico to create new pathways for everyone. While the old band room is currently being used to accommodate extra space for senior seminar, Mr. Ramirez confirmed that once the music program returns, band will get its dedicated room back.
For the students who poured their energy into competitions, performances and leadership, the sudden halt has been difficult to process. Alex Franco, a 2026 graduate and drummer, said that playing the drums gave him a sense of freedom and leadership, keeping the rhythm and energy intact for everyone else. Looking back at achievements like bringing home a trophy in the beginner division at the 2023 solo & ensemble fest, Franco notes how competitions once put KAC on the map.
Ms. DeLeon says that the school is currently assessing which instruments are still functional. Meanwhile, students like Franco have suggested donating unused equipment to raise funds for other clubs or charity. Some students feel the decision caught them off guard. Budget cutbacks and loss of teachers over recent years made it difficult to take proper care of instruments, keep on going to competitions, and not being able to run the program smoothly
Despite the challenges, there is a shared thread of hope among both staff and students.Whether it is through evaluating the remaining instruments, planning for future instructors with a fresh vision, or bringing Ms. DeLeon’s dream of mariachi and baile folklórico to life, the heartbeat of KAC music community refuses to fade away completely. For now the instruments rest in their cases, waiting for the day the rhythm returns to the halls of KAC.
