The annual Cinco De Mayo celebration show has grown from a small gathering that only filled half of the Akins theater to a two-hour production, attracting large crowds every year.

Foreign language teacher Gina Garcia has run the show for 10 years, watching kids mature from freshmen to seniors.

Garcia said she enjoys the relationships and connections she makes with the student performers.

“I remember this one little boy that was one of the student’s little brothers, and did he have a voice! He sang for us from 8th grade all the way until he turned 21,” Garcia said.

The Latinos Unidos club puts everything together, running the whole show from the ticket booth, to the clean up crew. For the show this year, they had to t 500 people in the theatre, and make sure everything went according to plan.

“It’s become a tradition that everybody in the Akins community looks forward to every year, and I hope another teacher can take over when I retire in six years. I wish this will go on forever and ever,” Garcia said.