TX HR1111

Texas House of Representatives honors the Bel Air High School Pipe and Drum Corps at the third annual Celebration of Bagpipes event on May 17, 2025, at Bel Air High School in El Paso

The band originated from an idea conceived during World War II by Ysleta ISD superintendent J.M. Hanks and was established in the early 1960s by educator John Estes, who directed the corps for over 30 years

Bel Air High School is the only public high school in Texas with an established bagpipe band and one of few in the United States

The 2025 event features performances with pipe bands from El Paso Police and Fire Departments and Empyre Pipes and Drums, with proceeds benefiting the John Estes Scholarship for Highlander pipers or drummers pursuing higher education

Resolution adopted by the House on May 23, 2025, by non-record vote, sponsored by Representative Perez of El Paso