Ronnie Rios is a graduate of Alice High School under the direction of Bryce Taylor. He graduated Summa Cum Laude earning a Bachelor of Music Education and a Masters in Music Education from Texas A & I. He began teaching in the Kingsville ISD where his middle school and high school bands received consistent sweepstakes awards and best in class awards at various state and national festivals. The jazz ensembles received best in class and numerous "Outstanding Band of the Festival" awards. Mr. Rios has been named to the Who's Who Among America's Teachers four times and was named Teacher of the Year in the Harlingen CISD in 2000. He has also received the Distinguished Citizen Award by the community of Harlingen and in 1996 was named Texas Young Bandmaster of the Year.

In 1997, Ronnie Rios led the Harlingen High School Jazz Ensemble to perform at the annual International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) Convention in New York, with John Fedchock as guest artist. This marked the first time in history that a South Texas High School jazz ensemble reached this lofty height. While in New York, the jazz band also participated in a tribute to Duke Ellington's music with Wynton Marsalis leading the Harlingen Jazz Ensemble at Lincoln Center. The clinic was part of an instructional series that was published for music educator's nation wide. The jazz ensemble was also one of two high school jazz bands from around the world invited to perform at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago in 2003.

The Harlingen H. S. Jazz performing groups consist of the Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Band II, and several student combos. Auditions for the ensembles are held in May and August. Jazz camps are held in July and include improvisation classes, sectionals, and big band rehearsals. All jazz rehearsals are held outside the school day and to this day are not a part of the school's curriculum. Students involved in the jazz program also participate in the marching band, concert band, and the mariachi band.

Mr. Rios has been named to the Who's Who Among America's Teachers four times and was named Teacher of the Year in the Harlingen CISD in 2000. He has also received the Distinguished Citizen Award by the community of Harlingen and in 1996 was named Texas Young Bandmaster of the year. Professional affiliations include TMEA, serving as Region XV Jazz Chairman; IAJE, serving as President - Texas Unit; TBA; TMEA; American Federation of Teachers; and the Phi Mu Alpha Chi Honorary Fraternity.