More than 1,300 mariachi musicians from across the country are taking the stage at the Lila Cockrell Theatre this week for the three-day Mariachi Extravaganza, and a local powerhouse program is right in the middle of it.

Fox Tech High School’s mariachi group is hoping to advance in the high school group competition on Friday, which would put them one step closer to a dream many of the students have had since middle school — earning a spot to open for the world-renowned Mariachi Vargas on Saturday night.

“For me, the lights are exhilarating,” said senior Maya Aparicio. “They just hit you, and you walk on stage, and you just prepare yourself.”

Maya and fellow senior Padraig Salinas-McCoy have been part of Fox Tech’s mariachi program since sixth and seventh grades. They grew up watching ol

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