The "Agustín Vadillo Cicero" Secondary School in Mérida emerged victorious in the State Phase of the Mexican National Anthem Interpretation Contest 2024. They stood out among more than 30 participating choirs from across the region. This contest, which began in April, aims to foster knowledge and respect for national symbols among secondary school students.

Four school choirs were chosen from the initial 30, each representing a different category: Transfer, Telesecondary, Technical, and State. The final contest took place at the "Rodolfo Menéndez de la Peña" Yucatán Primary Teacher Training School auditorium. The event was attended by Leonel Escalante Aguilar, Director General of Educational Development and Regional Management, Brenda Ruz Durán, Director of Secondary Education, as well as other educational authorities, parents, and students.

The competing schools included the "República de México" Telesecondary from Conkal, directed by teacher Ermilo Espadas Arjona; "Elda Zozaya Peniche" from the transfer category, led by teacher Pascual Vázquez Agus; Technical Number 55, under the guidance of teacher Maricarmen Canto Chan; and the "Agustín Vadillo Cicero" school, representing state schools, led by teacher Silvia Ortiz Lira. The last three schools are based in Mérida.

The choirs were judged on their interpretation, tuning, pronunciation, intonation, uniformity, and adherence to the choir director's instructions. The jury included Yesica Lizama Molina from the tenth military region band, Karla Morales Cruz, representative of the tenth Naval Zone, and Christian Ibarra Zurria, from the State of Puebla Music Conservatory.

Each of the 38 choir directors received training through a workshop led by Omar Celis Muñoz, deputy director of the "República de México" Azteca campus school. Escalante Aguilar emphasized the importance of student participation in activities that promote national identity, and praised the Art Education teachers for their support during the event.

Brenda Ruz, Director of Secondary Education, highlighted the importance of the annual contest and praised the 38 schools that participated in the 2024 edition for their respect and solemnity towards national symbols. At the conclusion of the event, recognitions were given to the Escort and War Band of the "República de México" Azteca campus school, and to each of the participating choirs.

The winning school, "Agustín Vadillo Cicero", received a trophy for their exceptional rendition of the Mexican National Anthem.