At Golder College Prep, Panther pride is overflowing, especially in our marching band (lovingly known as the “Sonic Sound of West Town”). This year, no student buzzed more with pride than rising senior and band member Fabian Mendia. Fabian was always ready to show up for the band—and he brought his family along with him. His family owns the local restaurant El Tezcal, and they’ve been a huge supporter of the marching band, even catering the band’s annual banquet. In a recent interview, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Fabian and his mother, Myrna Mendia, to hear about their experiences in the Golder community. Check it out:
Q: Why did you choose Golder?
Fabian Mendia: “I was in search of a Noble school that was different from where my cousins had attended. They all enjoyed their experiences, but I wanted to carve out my own path, and Golder was the most convenient place for my commute.”
Myrna Mendia: “My niece went to a different Noble School, and I heard about her courses and the grades she was able to achieve. I wanted that for Fabian.”
Q: How has your experience been at Golder?
FM: “I’ve enjoyed my time at Golder thus far. The sports and activities have led me to meet new people. The culture team is nice. I’ve had a really good experience here.”
MM: “A lot of teachers really took the time to have a relationship with him—not just Mr. Oby (band director)… I had very low expectations of a Noble school, but knowing that not only one or two teachers were good to my son but multiple—that really made me change my mind about Noble. They were giving him the knowledge, literally sitting down with him and going over anything with him, whether it was a test or just something he was stuck on.”
Fabian (left) studying in class with his peers.
Q: How does your family feel about the band?
FM: “They’re extremely excited for me. They’ve been donating their time and food for the band and staff. I’ve also been learning accordion, which is an instrument my dad wants to learn, and that’s given us something to bond over.”
MM: “When I get home late, Fabian will come downstairs, and we’ll start talking about the band. That’s all he talks about. We can be riding in the car without Fabian, and my girls will say, ‘If Fabian were with us, he’d be drumming along on the seat.’ The band is in his heart.”
Q: Tell us about a time you felt like you really connected with the Golder community.
FM: “All of my time in the band. Oby and I have grown on each other since sophomore year—I’m a fast learner, and he gives me the opportunities to grow as a musician and learn multiple instruments. I took great pride in the band once I got my brass tuba. Since then, I’ve been more dedicated to band and my personal performance. It has inspired my peers to become stronger players and play more as a unit. Once the band plays as a unit, we play better and also get compliments from the student body, which boosts our confidence as a team. As my pride got boosted, it made me a stronger leader amongst my peers and confident enough to try out for drum major.”
How do you think Golder’s band director, Mr. Oby, has changed Fabian’s life?
MM: “Connection to a teacher is very important, and Fabian having a bond with Mr. Oby helped him grow and stick with the band. Oby’s great at giving praise to the band and pushing the members of the band toward trying new instruments.”
Oby (left) hugs Fabian's mom, Myrna Mendia, in her restaurant El Tezcal.
Mr. Oby said this about the Mendia family:
“They are the backbone of our program. They’re always there to support us with their presence and food!”
