The Raymondville Early College High School Bearkat Honor Band is celebrating a major win.

The band was named champion in the 3A division of the Texas Music Educators Association in a June 4 hearing.

“It’s extraordinary what we've been able to do here and achieve,” head drum major Fabian Reyes said.

The varsity symphonic band competed against 231 schools in their division.

“Whenever you think of band, you always think of Friday nights all that stuff, but there’s more to it than people see,” Reyes said. “Winning honor band isn’t just something that happens every year."

Band Director Benjamin Keltner spoke about the process going into winning the competition.

"We had a couple a recording opportunities, so we submitted our best recording and submitted to the state level,” Keltner said. “And we have a region, area, state semifinals and finals contest and the Bearkat band was first in all those."

That recording was done in May during one of the band's auditorium performances.

The honor band will now get the opportunity to perform in San Antonio on Feb. 26, 2026.

Edinburg CISD’s Brewster School took home the top spot in the Class 1C division, and Roma High School advanced to the state finals in the Class 5A division.

Watch the video above for the full story.