As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, KCRA 3 is shining the spotlight on the Stockton Unified School District's Mariachi program for youth.Mariachi music dates back to the 1700s in Mexico, but now there's a modern twist as more young people learn to play the music."It is something that makes me very proud. I'm proud to be able to go up in front of a crowd and be able to sing and play a song for people to make them happy and feel many different emotions," said Yaretzi Castro, a senior at Cesar Chavez High School.Inside the school, students are mastering the art of Mariachi music.Mariachi Director Tito Talamantes grew up in Stockton and teaches students how to get in touch with their culture and roots with each note that they play. He considers it is a blessing to be able to teach what he teaches. It's a program that he wishes he would have had as a kid, so for the last ten years, he's made it his passion to pass on the tradition to his students."There is nothing old-fashioned about this at all. In fact, I would argue that Mariachi in schools is pretty new age," Talamantes said. "It's about culture preservation ... A lot of these students don't come from a musical background, so they don't touch an instrument until I get them freshman year in high school, and so to see their growth from freshman year to senior year me that is it that is the moment that makes all of this worthwhile." Director Talamantes said students learning to play an instrument while connecting to their roots are sure to succeed in anything they decide to pursue."Really, it's about all the skills they learn through the music," Talamantes said. "The discipline, the perseverance, the goal setting."Castro learned to play Mariachi music in the fifth grade and continues playing in high school."I feel like it was important to connect back to my culture and then also to be able to like playing like a song, I am able to connect to the people that I'm playing it to," Castro said.This Mariachi program is about much more than music. It also teaches some students to speak Spanish. Jack Alloro loves to belt out a tune in Spanish.He makes it look easy, even though he's just learning the language because his family primarily spoke English."I wasn't really surrounded by that culture growing up, and this is like me connecting back to it," Alloro said.The Stockton teen who is Mexican and Filipino American, said being in a mariachi band at school has sparked his dreams and his confidence.He hopes to take it to the next level and become a famous mariachi singer."Quero ser musico famoso," Alloro said, which translates to, "I want to become a famous musician."Even if the long-term goal isn't music, Alloro believes there is still purpose in learning."It's fun for memories, and teaching you perseverance, teaching you that not everything comes to you immediately," Alloro said. "If you want something, you have got to work for it."Talamantes points out that his students don't just get to perform at school.They have traveled to New Mexico for competitions, performed at the California State Fair at Cal Expo, and last month helped to introduce Award-Winning Actor and Activist Edward James Olmos at the Sacramento Latino Book and Family Festival.This story is one of several that will be highlighted in part of our Hispanic Heritage Month special titled "Celebrando Nuestras Raíces." It will air Thursday at 7:30 p.m. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter