Embedded Files
Our School
Lamar Middle School sits quietly on a vast piece of land in the Heights section of the city of Laredo. It began its academic mission in 1953 as the second junior high school in the Laredo Independent School District. The staff consisted of thirty-six people including teachers, a matron, and a secretary to the principal.
On the night of October 10, 1972, Lamar suffered a setback. The southern section of Lamar Junior High caught fire. The students made it known that it would take more than a fire to destroy their school spirit, and school classes were carried on.
By 1974 the staff had grown to sixty-three teachers and other paraprofessional personnel.
In 1983, the system changed and junior highs became middle schools. Lamar Junior High then became Lamar Middle School, housing close to fifteen hundred students and over one hundred teachers and personnel.
In August 2003, our administrators, faculty, staff, and students began a new academic year in our beautiful new school.
In August 2020, M. B. Lamar Middle School was thrust into the technology age by providing all students a Google Chromebook; thus making 2020 the first year Lamar was a 1:1 campus.
LMS remains one of the finest middle schools in our community because of the dedication of the administration, faculty, staff, and students.
TMEA Invited Program Spotlight Middle School Band
TMEA Invited Program Spotlight Middle School Band
Honoring Mr. Elmo Lopez
Honoring Mr. Elmo Lopez
Elmo Lopez Sr., graduated from Rio Grande City High School where he played with the school band. He enrolled at Southwest Texas State College in San Marcos.
After two years of military duty as an airborne trooper, Mr. Lopez, resumed his studies at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago. In the fall of 1949, he enrolled at The University of Texas at Austin.
Elmo Lopez earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1953 and a Master of Music degree in 1957 from The University of Texas at Austin. He began working as a band director, a career that would span more than 30 years and include many firsts. He became the first band director at Lamar Junior High School.
He brought the first UIL Sweepstakes to Laredo during his ten years as band director at Martin High School. He was the first band director at J.W. Nixon High School in 1964 and in 1967, he opened Laredo’s first music store dedicated to band instruments.
In 1963, James Clifton Williams composed the Laredo Paso Doble. This composition premiered at dual concerts in Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and was dedicated to William’s good friend, Elmo Lopez, and the Martin High School Band. Both Lopez and Williams were recognized by the Texas Legislature and the government of Mexico for promoting good will between Mexico and the United States through musical exchange program. Later, Lopez and Williams organized the All American Youth Honor Band at the University of Florida, and the group toured principal cities in South America with concerts which featured the Laredo Paso Doble.
Recognized as one of today’s leading interpreters and conductors of paso dobles, Elmo Lopez has made guest conducting appearances over the years with many high school, college, university and military bands including the Navy Band of Mexico, the official Presidential Band, and performances at the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Auditorio Nacional de Cultura in Mexico City.
In 1993, he was named a distinguished member and honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Laredo University of Texas Ex-Students Association.
In 2006, he was the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Texas A & M International University for his dedication to the development of the music program.
He was inducted into the South Texas Band Director’s Hall of Fame by the Texas music Educators Association in 2007.
Elmo Lopez has served the state band associations as a member and officer of TMEA, TBA, and Phi Beta Mu. He was State Chairman of the American School Band Directors Association and also served as an associate member of the American Bandmasters Association.
The Martin High School Band, under his leadership, was selected and placed in the top five bands in Texas during the TMEA State Honor Band competitions.
After teaching for 32 years, he retired in 1997 as an administrator with LISD. He continues to be active as a rancher and businessman. He and his wife, Consuelo, enjoy life at a less hectic pace. Mrs. Lopez also retired after a teaching career with LISD. They have 5 children and 11 grandchildren. Mrs. Lopez retired in 1997 after teaching for 32 years.
On June 7th 2019, Ms. Janie Rodriguez, Present Band Director at M.B. Lamar M.S. visited both Mr. & Ms. Lopez at their beautiful home. While visiting, the treasured conversations began about events in the music industry throughout the years. The visit became a 3 hour visit and one could not hear enough about everything that this amazing man has achieved over the years. One conversation led to another and found out that Mr. Elmo Lopez was the first band director in the history of The M. B. Lamar M.S. Not only was he the first band director, but he also composed an Alma Mater written in 1953. Weeks after that conversation, Mrs. Lopez called Ms. Rodriguez to inform her that Mr. Lopez found manuscripts of the M. B. Lamar M.S. Alma Mater. After carefully handling the 1953 artifacts, Ms. Rodriguez turned the page and to her surprise, the lyrics were hand written in pencil behind a Goldings Restaurant Menu with dishes priced at $1.00 each. There it was, the beautiful words to our M.B. Lamar School Song and the condensed manuscript hand written and composed by Mr. Elmo Lopez himself. After another beautiful visit, he informed her that the masterpiece was never played nor performed. This piece had been dormant and stored for 66 years. Ms. Rodriguez took the manuscript to Hector A. Navarro, Associate Director at J.W. Nixon H.S. to score it and arrange it for the Mighty Lion Band. Today, this 7th day of October, this masterpiece comes to life and is premiered.
For more than 30 years, Elmo Lopez dedicated his time and efforts to music education in LISD Schools. His enthusiasm for the fine arts and genuine interest in his pupils resulted in his students’ lifelong appreciation of music. His bands are remembered for their award-winning sound and performances. Many are the students who were influenced by Elmo Lopez Sr. to continue their love affair with music either as band members in middle school, high school, college, and as educators in schools throughout Texas.
Band Hall Dedication to
Band Hall Dedication to
Yolanda E. Moreno
Yolanda E. Moreno
Yolanda E. Moreno was born in Falfurrias, Texas in 1956 where she grew up and graduated from Falfurrias High School in 1975. She began her musical studies in 1968 under her beloved Jr High & High School Band Director, Mr. Solomon Banda. As a H.S. Band member, Ms. Moreno was Band President and was named Band Sweetheart. She also received “Most Popular Girl” award and was selected to be in “Who’s Who” of America.
She received a Bachelor of Music degree from Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas, where she was under the direction of Dr. Joseph L. Bellamah. She had the opportunity to do her student teaching in Premont H.S. under the direction of Mr. Joe Menchaca & Premont Elementary under Mrs. Irene Menchaca. After graduating from Texas A&I University in 1979, she began working at Hebbronville High School in Jim Hogg ISD. Ms. Moreno worked as an Associate Director under Dr. Humberto Gonzalez & Arturo Valdez, where the Band became one of the best in the state of Texas and participated in The UIL State Marching Contest in the fall 1981. In 1982 she moved to Laredo, Texas where she began working at J.W. Nixon H.S. as an Associate Director under Arturo Valdez and working hand and hand with Carlos Luna. The J.W. Nixon H.S. Band became 2nd in the State that year and in 1983 became 1st in state being named UIL State Marching Band Champions. That same year the band became 7th in the nation in White Water, Wisconsin. While re-building J.W. Nixon H.S., she started The Memorial M.S. Band Program which was a feeder to J.W. Nixon H.S. in 1983. In 1984, she became the Head Band Director at M.B. Lamar M.S. where she re-built the program, winning numerous UIL Sweepstakes Awards over 12 years. In 1987 her band placed 6th in the State of Texas at The TMEA Honor Band Competition in Class CCC which is an achievement that no other band or band director in Laredo, Texas has exceeded. In 1996, she received the most beautiful gift anyone could ask for. Her son, Jonathan Moreno, was born and is now following her footsteps by majoring in Music Education. Ms. Moreno then moved to United I.S.D. where she started the Trautmann M.S. Band Program and was there for 3 years. While in U.I.S.D. she had the privilege to work with Mr. Javier Vera, U.I.S.D. Fine Arts Director. In 1999, she moved to United South M.S. and re-built the Band Program there as well. She headed the program for 13 years where she received many UIL Sweepstakes Awards over the period of 16 years. In 2012, Ms. Moreno had the opportunity to go back to M.B. Lamar M.S. in Laredo I.S.D. where she spent her final 3 years before retiring. Ms. Moreno rebuilt the band in 7 months as the band became a UIL Sweepstakes Award Winner. To this day, the M.B. Lamar Band continues to be one of the best programs, winning consecutive sweepstakes due to the legacy she left. While at L.I.S.D, she had the privilege to work with Mr. Carlos Luna, L.I.S.D. Fine Arts Director and Margarita Taboada, Principal at M.B. Lamar M.S. All of her bands became very successful and were well known throughout our region, area, and state levels. Ms. Moreno and her bands have won a total of 24 “UIL Sweepstakes Awards” along with individual students that have become very successful in all-region, all-area, and all-state levels as well. On December of 2016, Ms. Moreno was inducted into Region XIV Band Director’s Hall of Fame & On February 8, 2020, The M.B. Lamar M.S. Band Hall was named the “The Yolanda E. Moreno Band Hall.” During her 36 years as a Band Director in Region XIV, Laredo, Texas, and Laredo & United I. S. D., Ms. Moreno has inspired and motivated many generations of students that want to follow in her footsteps who have become band directors and some currently majoring in music education.
Ms. Moreno is now enjoying retirement and spending time with her son and loved ones.
Page updated
Report abuse