CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Carroll High School safety officer with nearly 5 decades of mariachi experience surprised students and staff with an impromptu performance during lunch on Wednesday.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
The school's mariachi program was performing during the lunch period when students asked Safety Officer Santiago Hernandez to join them on stage.
"I was approached by some of the students that already know that I play mariachi. And they asked me if I could sing a song with them, and that's, that's what happened," Hernandez said.
What happened next surprised everyone in the cafeteria.
Hernandez has been performing with mariachi groups since 1976 and currently performs with Mariachi Mexicanisimo — bringing nearly 5 decades of experience to the unexpected moment.
"A lot of people don't know that I do play mariachi, so they thought this was my first time actually singing," Hernandez said.
Principal Dr. Jenifer Guerra-Leos witnessed the student reaction firsthand.
"Once the officer got up there, it was deafening. The cafeteria just blew up with excitement," Guerra-Leos said.
Guerra-Leos says moments like these help build trust between students and staff, creating connections that go beyond the classroom.
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