At ACG, we believe in the transformative power of music. We have witnessed firsthand how music can transcend boundaries, touch hearts, and make a positive impact in people’s lives. Since 2014, we have been privileged to create and sustain Texas’ first and only daily, for-credit performing arts course for young people incarcerated in the Juvenile Justice system. We currently provide daily instruction in Travis, Williamson, and Dallas Counties.
Learn more about ACG Education and our Juvenile Justice programs here.
Our Director of Juvenile Justice Education, Hector Aguilar shared a beautiful reflection from the 2025-26 school year. Read the full letter below:
Hi everyone,
As I sit with all that this year held, I keep coming back to how much this work continues to grow, not just in numbers or programs, but in relationships, in trust, and in what feels possible.
I find myself thinking a lot about how different this work feels compared to even a few years ago. There was a time when most of our work centered almost entirely around what happened inside a classroom or facility. That is still a huge part of what we do, of course, but these past couple of years have felt different. I am beginning to see more clearly how connected all of this is becoming.
One of the biggest challenges in this work has always been staying connected with students once they leave the spaces where we first meet them. That continues to be one of the hardest parts of this work. At the same time, this year gave me a lot of hope. Through our Vita Ensemble continuing engagement program at the Rosette, Judge Denise Hernandez’s Transformative Youth Justice Program referral program, and our new relationship with Gardner Betts’ Hope Studio, and other referral based opportunities, I feel like we are slowly creating more pathways for students to stay connected to music and to us beyond their initial placement. That has always been the dream, even if it continues to be challenging.
This year we served over 100 students across Central and North Texas, ranging from 5th through 12th grade. We also placed more than a dozen guitars directly into students’ hands so they could continue making music beyond the classroom. More than the numbers, what stands out most is seeing students continue to grow into themselves. We are watching them perform publicly, share their stories, support one another, and begin seeing themselves not just as students in a program, but as musicians, artists, and leaders.
One area that gave me a lot of encouragement this year was the continued growth in our programs and partnerships. In Dallas, we expanded to three active groups with the addition of Youth Village, which felt like a big step forward for our work in North Texas. I have also been reflecting a lot on the growth of our teaching artist support, especially in Dallas. This work is deeply meaningful, but it can also be challenging, and we know teacher retention is still an area where we want to keep growing.
At the same time, I feel really encouraged by what we are building. Each of our teaching artists has shared that they feel supported, and that means a lot. We are building stronger systems of communication, support, and collaboration so that no one feels like they are carrying this work alone.
Another exciting development this year was the final approval of the Hope Studio curriculum after many conversations, revisions, and advocacy. Hope Studio gives us another way to connect with young people through probation connected programming while also expanding how we engage with them creatively. Along with guitar instruction, this program creates space for songwriting and other forms of musical expression, which opens up new ways for students to share their stories and experiences through music. That part especially excites me.
One of the most meaningful moments of this year came through the Vita Ensemble and our opportunity to perform at the Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS) conference, a gathering of youth advocates and professionals from across the state.
Two students in our programs represented this work beautifully. Student A completed his program over a year ago, and Student B completed hers just a few months ago through our partnership with Judge Hernandez and the Transformative Youth Justice Program. Student B also became the first student to successfully complete our work through that partnership, which felt like an important milestone.
What made this especially meaningful was that both of them chose to continue showing up and remain part of Vita. That represents something bigger than successful program completion. It speaks to connection, trust, and belonging.
At TNOYS, both students shared parts of their journey, performed individual solos, and then came together as an ensemble. Watching them speak confidently in front of that room was incredibly moving. The standing ovation they received was special, but more than anything it was a powerful reminder of what is possible.
Another story that stands out from this year comes from Gardner Betts. We faced many hurdles there that tested both the strength of the program and the commitment of the students. At one point, it seemed possible that we would lose guitar at the campus altogether. After many conversations, advocacy, and strong support from Mr. Brashear, we found a path forward.
The students made an incredible sacrifice by giving up part of their lunch period to keep guitar alive. Even though this shortened both their lunch and our class time, they showed up every week eager and ready to learn. Initially, because the class took place during lunch, we were told the course could no longer remain for credit. That was difficult, especially after all the work we had done the year before to preserve that status. Still, we felt keeping the group and relationship alive mattered most. After continued conversations and advocacy, we were ultimately able to secure for credit status once again in the Spring semester. That felt like a huge win.
Even though we were not able to have an end of year concert, we were still able to capture a recording of the group performing Found a Friend, which I am grateful to be able to share. There was another special moment with this group that stands out. When I returned from winter break, the students were excited to show me something they had been working on. During our time away, they had taken Blue Magic and rearranged it into something completely their own.
What stood out most was not just the creativity of what they made, but the fact that they cared enough about the music and about each other to keep thinking about it beyond class. They were eager to share it and immediately started talking about wanting to record it. Unfortunately, we were not able to capture Majestic Blue this year, but my colleague Francisco, the Vita members, and I are currently working on recording their arrangement, and I look forward to sharing it once it is complete.
There were many other meaningful moments throughout the year. In Austin’s Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program secure day school, we experienced enough growth to add a second group this year, which was exciting to see. At Williamson County (WilCo), students participated in documentary filming, and one thing that stood out was how they wanted to share that experience together.
When it came time for interviews, they preferred staying together as a group rather than going into a separate room one at a time. In a moment that could have felt intimidating and vulnerable, they found comfort and courage in each other. That said so much about the trust and bond they had built as a group.
This year, all six of our performing groups across Central and North Texas received Division 1 ratings at the North Texas Concert and Sight Reading Contest, which felt like a huge accomplishment and a strong reflection of the consistency and growth happening across all of our sites.
Another important development this year was the collaboration with our Production Director, Todd, around recordings and audio production. His support added a completely new layer to the work by helping us capture our groups with a level of quality we had not been able to achieve before. That support played an important role in contest recordings, performance recordings, and in preserving meaningful musical moments from our students.
One moment that stands out came during our WilCo end of year performance, where we were able to place four guitars directly into students’ hands. Watching them leave that performance with instruments of their own felt incredibly special.
One final moment that stands out came during a visit I made to Brownsville. I had the opportunity to meet with Hilda Ledezma from Revival of Cultural Arts and learn about their new court connected initiative. During our conversation, she shared that she had been seriously considering stepping away from the program because they were unsure of how to move forward and felt overwhelmed by the complexity of the work.
After hearing more about their goals and challenges, I shared some thoughts from our own experience. Later that day, I worked with their teachers and students, and by the end of the session we were playing through Blue Magic together. Hilda shared that the visit gave her renewed hope and reaffirmed her belief in the work they were building. That conversation was a beautiful reminder of how important relationships and shared learning are in this work. Sometimes simply being able to share what we have learned can help someone keep moving forward.
More than anything, this year reminded me how much this work depends on people showing up for one another. This work is only possible because of the support, trust, and collaboration across so many parts of ACG. From leadership, to operations, to teaching artists and program support, each of you plays an important role in making this work possible.
Thank you for continuing to believe in this work, in me, and in the young people we serve. I feel deeply grateful to be part of this team and excited about what lies ahead.
With gratitude,
Hector
Listen to Found a Friend here:
