Student participation in fine arts at Osceola County highs schools has doubled in the past decade, and education officials said it's the talent that keeps the arts thriving.
- Fine arts participation up 60% in past 8 years in Osceola
- 3 students represented Florida at 2016 Jazz Band for America
Music can be heard through the walls at the Osceola County School for the Arts.
"Everybody around is in love with music, has the same passion for music you do," said Tyler Bonilla, a high school senior. "It's just great to be surrounded like that. Otherwise, you would be by yourself, and you wouldn't have anyone to share that passion with."
Bonilla said attending the Osceola County School for the Arts prepared him to get a full-ride scholarship to attend New England Conservatory after he graduates.
For a lot of the students, music is their life.
"You can actually express yourself better that way than through words," Jacob Britton said. "If I was playing this interview, I could probably express my feelings a lot better than actually saying it."
Bonilla, Britton and Eric Gonzalez represented Florida in the Music for All's 2016 Jazz Band of America.
"When I found out I made Jazz Band of America, it was an eye-opening experience," Gonzalez said. "Thinking like someone from where I am from could make something like that."
Over the past eight years, student participation within the Osceola County School District has increased by 60 percent, but it wasn't always like this.
A few years ago, the county couldn't even afford to staff a fine arts administrator. Now, there are two. More staff and more programs have helped turn things around.
Debbie Fahmie, the fine and performing arts resource specialist for the school district, said there hasn't just been an increase in numbers.
"We've really seen an increase in quality," said Fahmie, who was named the 2016 recipient for the Florida Music Educators Association Leadership Award. "And hopefully, we continue to see that increase."