– By Ashley Alvarez
I was eight years old when my love for music first awakened. I wanted to learn guitar, and thanks to my school music teacher, Ms. Sara, I discovered the FUNDIT music program in El Tejar. I’m from Parramos, just a short distance away, and without much hesitation, I began a musical adventure that, ten years later, continues to be a defining part of my life.
I started with the guitar and completed the three-year program required to graduate. Then came the mandolin, and in 2020, I began studying the marimba—an instrument that connected me deeply with my cultural roots and with the joy of making music in community. Throughout my journey, my teachers at FUNDIT, Ms. Sara and Ms. Estefany, have been constant sources of inspiration and guidance.
In 2019, I experienced something that changed my life: my first trip to the LEAF Festival in North Carolina. I traveled with Ms. Sara, and although my classmates couldn’t join us due to visa restrictions, the experience opened my eyes to a larger world of music and culture. In 2023, I returned—this time with eight fellow students and Ms. Estefany. And in 2025, I had the opportunity to travel to LEAF for the third time, once again with Ms. Sara, just like in 2019.
This most recent trip was especially meaningful. We shared the stage with musicians from around the world: Chiny from Costa Rica, Dominique from Haiti, and Hesron from Tanzania. Playing alongside them was enriching and inspiring; together, we blended styles, traditions, and rhythms to create something truly unique. One of the highlights was reuniting with Hesron. I met him in 2019 when I was twelve and he was eighteen. He has always been kind, joyful, and generous, and seeing him again after so many years meant so much.
Today, as I prepare to graduate from the Municipal School of Music with the cello as my main instrument, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude. Choosing the cello was intentional, I chose it with becoming a teacher in mind. When I learned I could no longer continue as a student, I knew I didn’t want my time with the music program to end. I wanted to stay as a teacher.
Next year, in 2026, I will become a cello teacher with the music program. That fills me with excitement, pride, and hope. I want to give my best to this new chapter, because I am truly passionate about education. My greatest wish is to inspire other young musicians just as my teachers inspired me.
I will also begin university next year, and in two and a half years, I hope to earn my teaching degree in music education, then continue on to my bachelor’s. I know the road ahead will be demanding, but I also know it will be deeply rewarding.
I am profoundly grateful to LEAF and Senderos for supporting this little school. Through the music program, I didn’t simply learn music, I learned to believe in myself, to dream boldly, and to understand the power of art to transform lives. Thanks to the support of Senderos and LEAF, the music program can continue to open doors for and inspire students like me.
Today, I can say with certainty that music changed my life! And the music program was where it all began. What I learned there will stay with me forever, both on and off the stage.