VIDEO: The Cinco de Mayo Parade in Downtown Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There more than 70 entries at this year's Cinco De Mayo parade in downtown Houston. Hundreds of people participated in the parade.

Among them, a middle school drum player who is proud to stand out.

"I like it because it's a lot of patterns. I like it because people think I can't do it because I'm a girl and people think I can't do what boys do," said Melinda Guerra.

Melinda likes to march at the beat of a different drummer, especially when she's able to share her talent in the Cinco De Mayo Parade. She's a member of the Ortiz Middle School band. They, along with many other schools preformed this year.

The parade organizer says having students involved in important to keeping the history of Cinco De Mayo alive.

In 1862 the French invaded Mexico.

"The French had about 6,000 soldiers and the Mexicans had 2,000 soldiers but the Mexicans won," said Herlinda Garcia, the chair of the Cinco De Mayo parade.

Now more than 150 years later, we remember their sacrifice.

"There are a lot of immigrants here from different countries and why not keep everybody's culture alive," said Issac Ledesma, a dance director who teaches Latin dances to dozens of students every year.

Organizers expected up to 5,000 people to attend this year's parade.