Surrounded by their peers, Evelyn W. and Anya H. made Dallas ISD history as they were inducted into Jesus Moroles Expressive Arts Vanguard’s newly established art honor society.
The induction ceremony marked the launch of the National Elementary Art Honor Society pilot, making it the first school in the district to participate in the program.
The society, which includes 16 members, is built on three pillars: art scholarship, character, and service. As a keepsake of the occasion, each student received a membership pin and a T-shirt.
“I was proud of myself,” Anya said. “As someone in theater, you have a part to play, but I’ve never gone on stage and just been myself.”
A fifth-grader, Anya, is the honor society’s vice president, while her classmate and fellow fifth-grader, Evelyn, serves as president.
Evelyn said her favorite part of serving as president of the honor society is helping others improve their art skills. Her advice is to “make mistakes into a masterpiece.” She draws inspiration from nature and her love of camping.
As a first-year pilot campus, the chapter funds its activities through community-based projects. Students sell one-of-a-kind artwork at campus recitals for Vanguard programs and at on-campus art markets.
This year, members are creating quilts and revamping the school’s garden, adding decorative elements to make the space more inviting for the campus community.
One notable project included afield trip to the Dallas SPCA, where students used art to help promote animals in need of loving homes.
“We drew pictures of the animals, and when someone adopts them, they get a portrait of their pet,” Anya said. “It feels really good to know that your work had an impact on someone, not just yourself. We’re both animal lovers, so this is kind of like our area of expertise.”
The honor society was the brainchild of Madison Cooper, a fine arts teacher at Jesus Moroles. Applications opened in the 2024-2025 school year, and this was the first year NEAHS was fully implemented. When looking for an honor society student, Cooper is seeking drive, professionalism, initiative, and an interest in art that can transcend to a whole new level.“This has given me a way to explore new avenues for my kids and how they can get involved,” she said. “I have some students not in Vanguard who get an opportunity to experience art in a whole new way.”
As the pilot chapter continues to take shape, students are discovering the power of art to inspire, connect, and give back—just as Cooper envisioned when she opened the program.
