From Breakfast Tacos to Band: Thank You, Jesse Moreno!
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When I accepted the job to lead the Woodrow Wilson High School Band in July of 2010, it was a late appointment and the odds weren’t in our favor. The program was hanging by a thread—just seven students, no structure, and a reputation that kept even talented players away. But I believed in what band could be. I just didn’t yet know how far a little belief could go—or where it would come from.
Not long after starting, I found my morning routine: a stop at the Tamale House. As a connoisseur of breakfast tacos, I was hooked. But it wasn’t just the food—it was the people. The staff radiated warmth, and one person in particular stood out: Jesse Moreno.
Though I usually grabbed food through the drive-thru, I’d sometimes pick up a dozen tacos for the handful of kids showing up early to rehearse. Jesse started to notice. His eyes lit up when he asked, “Are those for the band?” And then one morning, without fanfare, he quietly comped the whole order.
It wasn’t about free food. It was about support, and a signal that someone saw what we were trying to do.
A few days later, I decided it was time to ask for help outright. I walked into the Tamale House—not for tacos, but for Jesse.
I sat across from him and asked, “Can the Tamale House—through food, for students who might not even get breakfast—help me build the band program quickly?”
He didn’t hesitate.
He just said, “Yes.”
That moment marked a turning point. Jesse didn’t need a title or a spotlight to make a difference. He just saw a need—and stepped in.
In the two years that followed, the band grew from seven students to nearly 60. We rehearsed from early morning into the evening. Students who had never played before were performing confidently on stage. We had dreams of going to Washington, D.C. to perform with the U.S. Marine Band—while that trip didn’t come to fruition, the dream gave us purpose, momentum, and unity.
Today, the Woodrow Band is stronger than ever under the direction of Caitlin Schmidt. She continues to grow and elevate the program in ways I could only hope for. The students are thriving, and the sound of the band is once again a proud part of the Woodrow experience.
And behind it all, I’ll never forget those early days—when belief came in the form of breakfast tacos, community kindness, and Jesse Moreno’s quiet but powerful answer: “Yes.”
Note: The Woodrow Band just announced CatFest 2025! See the link below:
— Chris Walls