By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the NEWS
A local educator’s initiative is bringing thousands of dollars’ worth of musical instruments to her school after the campus teacher secured a Guitar Center Music Foundation grant.
Motivated by a desire to provide more opportunities for her students, educator Nayelli Quiroga applied for the foundation’s competitive grant after noticing growing interest and enthusiasm in her classroom.
“I have a strong desire to do more for them (students), and they truly deserve the very best. They are so eager to learn, which in turn makes me eager to teach and keep improving for them. Their motivation fuels mine,” said Quiroga, this year’s SBCISD Elementary Teacher of the Year.
At the start of the school year, campus administration provided recorders and ten ukuleles, opening new learning possibilities.
Still, Quiroga found herself wondering how much more students could accomplish if access to instruments and supplies were not constrained. That question led her to begin searching for grants that specifically support elementary fine arts and music programs.
After finding few options, she explored opportunities offered by music retailers and discovered the Guitar Center Music Foundation grant.
Quiroga described the writing portion of the application as straightforward because she focused on honestly portraying her campus and community.
She explained that the school is a Title I campus in a border town with a predominantly Hispanic population, where funding constraints often limit access to instruments at the elementary level. “These students deserve the same access to quality music education as children in any other school or community,” she said.
The interview process proved to be the most challenging part. Expecting a traditional back-and-forth conversation, Quiroga instead encountered only a single prompt.
“I prepared myself for a traditional, conversational interview… Instead, I was met with a single, daunting prompt that read: ‘So, tell us about yourself,’” she said. After she finished speaking, she was met with silence, which made the moment feel discouraging.
Her principal, Diane Jacquez, joined the interview and offered additional perspective and enthusiasm, which Quiroga said made a meaningful difference.
As a first-time grant applicant, Quiroga said the experience taught her that the most important step is sometimes simply applying.
“One of the biggest lessons was realizing that sometimes all it really takes is applying. What’s the worst that can happen?” she said.
She gained confidence navigating the application process and learned the value of asking for what is truly needed, initially, requesting ten ukuleles and ten keyboards.
After speaking with a foundation representative, the request was revised to better reflect the school’s needs, and it was fully funded.
The grant will provide 10 ukuleles, 22 61-key keyboards (each with a stand and a bench), and an accordion to honor the community’s conjunto music roots. Altogether, the award totals just over $6,000 in instruments and resources and will benefit every student on campus.
Reflecting on her journey, Quiroga also expressed appreciation for the mentors who continue to guide her, including SBICSD Fine Arts Director Eradio Martinez and Berta Cabaza band director James Spence, both of whom are always willing to answer questions and share their experience.
She noted that their support helps her continue to grow as an educator.
Quiroga later said the grant process was lengthy and highly competitive. She first applied in August and was notified in late November that she had been selected as a finalist.
After completing the interview process, she received official word in January that the campus had been awarded the grant.
She also learned that the organization donated instruments to 140 schools worldwide last year and that she was selected as a 2025 grant recipient, placing her campus among a select group of schools receiving support.
Quiroga hopes her journey encourages young people to believe in themselves and take chances. “Big opportunities don’t always come from having everything figured out. They come from believing in yourself enough to try,” she concluded.
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