ODESSA, Texas — When it comes to school, kids are always going to need the essentials like math, science, history and English.

However, they also need classes that let some show off some creativity in a way that isn’t an essay or a multiple choice test.

Ector Middle School is one of the schools making sure their fine arts programs is built back up, especially now that they are back in the fold with the Ector County Independent School District (ECISD).

“We were with Third Future for about three years,” ECISD Fine Arts Coordinator Dr. Aaron Howley said. “There was a charter company before that, but essentially during Third Future’s time, for three years, we truly didn’t have programs, we only had the fine arts classes.”

Now that they are back in, students have a plethora of options to choose from.

“We definitely have lots of different programs that we’re offering this year that weren’t offered in the past,” Director of Bands Chris Munoz said. “We have the band program, orchestra, choir, mariachi, dance, our visual arts.”

Part of the reason they were able to get back in action is the bond that was passed in November of 2023. Around $18.5 million was dedicated to fine arts programs alone. $3.5 million was for new instruments along with repairs for any old instruments that the school had in stock.

So far, the investment has been worth every penny as students flock to the fine arts program at Ector Middle.

“It was a tremendous response from the Ector Middle students. Overwhelming, almost,” Dr. Hawley said. “The classes are very large, we have over three hundred kids in the bands. We have a full mariachi and a full orchestra so they responded very very quickly.”

In class, students learn the basics of musical theory and get familiar with their instruments. However, they aren’t just learning skills with their instruments.

“[Skills like] being organized, having discipline, working in groups and helping each other,” Assistant Band Director Flora Leyva said. “I encourage my kids to help one another, not just work on yourself and learning the music yourself, but work with a partner and work it out, learn it together and do it as a group.”

What the students learn at Ector Middle School goes beyond the classroom. It also helps both the students and the schools they choose to go to in the future.

“We’ve had a very strong fine arts programs in the past, so they’re very excited, especially Odessa High School. We feed into that school, and in the past couple years, they’ve kind of hurt from not having a fine arts program feed into them,” Munoz said. “So we’re here to be able to boost those numbers again and start sending some really large numbers to help out all the different fine arts programs at Odessa High School.”

The most important thing to these teachers isn’t just the grade point averages or the attendance records.

It’s about instilling a deep love and respect for music into their students.

“Having the different options lets them explore what they like and don’t like and my goal at the end of the day is that the kids leave whatever program in loving music,” Assistant Band Director Brendan Griffin said. “If that’s loving music and band, great. If that’s loving music and orchestra, great. If that’s loving music and choir, great.”