Senior Andres Gil has dedicated the past four years to El Dorado High School’s marching band, where he has been all in demonstrating his talent, hard work, and perseverance to help the band reach its highest potential.
In November, Andres, the band’s drum major, proudly led the Aztec band onto the field at the Alamodome to perform at the 2024 UIL 5A State Marching Band Championship. This historic achievement marked the first time the Aztecs advanced to the state competition.
“It was crazy; the number of people we saw when we walked into the Alamodome was probably three times more than what we would see at the SAC (Student Activities Complex),” Andres recalled as he remembered stepping onto the field in front of thousands of boisterous fans.
“Everybody started cheering,” added Gil, who is ranked an impressive 13th in his senior class. “I heard our booster parents the most. They really loved us.”
In recognition of his outstanding accomplishments, Andres was selected to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the Socorro ISD Board of Trustees regular meeting in November.
Whether on the drum major's stand, in the classroom, or on the basketball court, Andres has always been at the top of his game.
From the moment band camp began in July, he and his fellow Aztecs spent countless hours throughout the season practicing new music and intricate choreography for their award-winning show, “Golden Hour.”
Despite the demanding practice schedules and the sweltering summer heat, Andres never wavered. He focused on supporting his fellow bandmates, confident they would be well-prepared when the opportunity arose to perform at the Alamodome.
"It was kind of a big deal for me since the past three years we haven't really gone that far, and this year we made it," said Andres, who learned to play saxophone in fifth grade at Paso Del Norte School. "The next couple of years, when El Dorado goes to state, they're going to look back to this year and think that this was the first time the band made it."
He was particularly inspired by the band's new director, Cesar Hinojos, who had encouraged them in May with the idea that the Aztecs could reach the state competition this year. Hinojos said Andres’s strong work ethic is one reason his bandmates look up to him.
“Andres is the true definition of grit, and he is always just trying to pursue helping others and improving himself,” Hinojos said. “He really just has that figure-out mentality where he'll do whatever it takes to make sure that that everybody's prepared. Whenever he works with others, he is extremely respectful and kind.”
Academically, Andres has excelled at El Dorado. He is expected to graduate next June with over 30 dual credit hours. He plans to attend The University of Texas at Austin next fall and study kinesiology.
Additionally, as the captain of the boys' basketball team, he hopes to lead the Aztecs to the playoffs next March. The strong bond he has built with his teammates over the past four years has made them feel like family. When Andres suffered an injury during a game in his junior year, his teammates rallied around him, motivating him to return to the court just seven weeks later.
"You always have to have each other's backs, and even on the court, it improves your play a little bit, but off the court, we're like family. We never want to see anybody get hurt or anything like that,” Andres said.
His mother, Sonia Ugarte-Gil, a counselor at El Dorado, credited her son’s success in balancing his studies and extracurricular activities to his resilience and positive attitude. A self-proclaimed mama bear, Ugarte-Gil has watched her son grow into a respectful and responsible young man with a bright future ahead of him.
“I absolutely saw the growth in him, and I know that he can accomplish anything because he's very determined, he's very structured, he’s very disciplined,” said Ugarte-Gil, who still asks her son everyday if he has homework to do.
Andres attributes his success to his proud mom, inspirational teachers, and El Dorado’s highly supportive culture, which he works hard to promote as the school’s student council co-chair for pride and patriotism.
Above all, Andres is excited about the future success of the school's marching band. Some of his fondest memories include the band advancing to the regional marching band contest during his freshman year and qualifying for the area marching band competition last year. He will always remember the joy he experienced at the UIL Area 5A Marching Band Contest this October when it was announced that El Dorado would be advancing to the state championships.
“I know that they're great musicians and they're going to follow in our footsteps, and they'll probably even do better,” Andres said.