CARLOS DIAZ

He is wandering around his house, walking down the hallway while humming his favorite tune. He turns the corner and starts whistling. “Carlos. Stop whistling!” his mom shouts from the kitchen. Always nding himself in trouble for interrupting the radio that his young parents put on. Diaz has always had a natural ability for music, ever since his parents handed him a trumpet at 8 years old, he had begun lessons at his elementary school. “I do it because it makes me feel good, it’s very relaxing, and it’s psychologically rewarding,” Diaz said.

In high school, he pursued a lot of music-related activities, because he loved branching out and being a part of his community. In time, he was recruited into the chorus, and this was something he continued through college. He also became the band o cer, as well as a member of the ROTC band.

a smile on their face when they played. ey loved hearing their music played and having this moment together. Diaz loved doing things for his community and changing people’s lives with music, as he did.

Getting a full-ride academic and performance scholarship to UT was a huge weight li ed from his shoulders. e burden of student loans and balancing job a er job was gone for Carlos, thanks to his musical talents. He was a music education major there, but also went further into his studies to earn his master’s as an educational specialist, and even earning his educational leadership degree at USF.

Karl Kelner, Carlos’s algebra 2 teacher had said to him one day during school, “Everything’s written in English, if you master English...you can learn anything.” is has always been a moment that he frequently looks back on, and what inspired him to work hard at his goals. at was the cause of his return to the school as a counselor, academic coach, eld announcer, and more. is teacher was a huge eld, more. inspiration to him, as he was always so impressed with him as a child. cally set for the marching band to e old folks always had

Listening to the loud cheering that came from the stands that surrounded the football eld. Watching as the player scored another touchdown. Observing the marching band as they got o bleachers that were placed in the endzone of the to start these intricate formations that these students choreographed themselves. Working diligently every day a er school to perfect their performance and get ready to perform it on these Friday nights. What is now the teacher parking lot, used to be 50 yards of lined area speci use. Diaz loved these moments, even performing for the pep rally every week.

One day during Halloween time his stage band would travel to the old folk’s home to play a Halloween song. During one of his annual times, they had arrived at the home, but as they were walking in everyone’s faces lit up. had thought that the band wasn’t going to show. Diaz had reassured them that it was just a cause of the time change and that the home had forgotten to turn their clocks back. Laughter resumed their yearly activity.

For him, playing music is special. “ ere is nothing like it, not drugs, not alcohol. Nothing. ere’s nothing about that high that you get from it, it’s euphoric,” Diaz said.

Carlos “Charlie” Diaz is a Hillsoborugh alumni. His time as a student prepared him to live an eventful and ful lling life. He wants to inspire other students the way that the school inspired him.