At Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, inspiration doesn’t just walk the halls; it sings, sketches, and dances through them. “It’s a community of one mind. Everyone thinks alike,” said Lucas S. “No one judges you and accepts you for who you are.” Lucas, whose older brothers all graduated from Booker T., initially came thinking he would follow in their footsteps as a painter. Over time, his focus shifted to 3-D art, where he uses scrap metal to create sculptures of Texas wildlife At Booker T., there are four conservatories students can choose from: dance,…
Author: Jenna Carpenter
Dallas ISD is redefining what excellence looks like in school counseling. For the 2025–2026 school year, the district rolled out the School Counselor Excellence Instrument, which lays out clear guidelines for best practices and strengthens the district’s foundation for years to come. For Joann Jackson, director of Counseling Services, that’s exactly the point. “We have excellence initiatives for teachers, assistant principals, principals, and executive directors. We hold counselors to the same standard of excellence we require from others,” she said. The SCEI is part of the district’s ongoing effort to set a standard that others can follow. Through goal setting,…
Las jornadas escolares de Clifton W. pueden parecer un poco diferentes de lo habitual. Cuando llega a Franklin D. Roosevelt High School of Innovation por la mañana, su primera clase no se trata de un libro ni es una lección. En lugar de ello, va a la sala de pesas, donde se enfoca en la fuerza, la agilidad y en ejercicios diseñados para prepararlo como futuro bombero. Clifton y sus compañeros están entre los primeros estudiantes de Roosevelt que serán bomberos y técnicos en emergencias médicas certificados cuando crucen el escenario de graduación, con una garantía de trabajo con el…
Clifton W.’s school day looks a little different than most. When he arrives at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School of Innovation, Clifton’s first class isn’t about a book or in a lecture. Instead, he heads to the weight room, where he focuses on strength, agility, and fitness exercises designed to prepare him for a career in firefighting. Clifton and his classmates are among the first students at Roosevelt who will be certified firefighters and EMTs when they cross the graduation stage, with a guaranteed job offer from Dallas Fire Rescue. A sophomore, Clifton said the program is life-changing. “It’s an…
Hace cien años, se decía que los estudiantes parecían bisontes cuando iban de camino a Sunset High School, pues debían cruzar un montón de campos abiertos. Hoy, ese mismo espíritu de fortaleza y resiliencia perdura en cuanto la comunidad de “bisontes” de Sunset celebra un siglo de historia en Oak Cliff. “Tengo mucho orgullo por Sunset”, dijo Adriana Tapia, exalumna que hoy es maestra. “Estoy orgullosa de lo que se ha logrado aquí con los años y lo que representa para la comunidad”. Su esposo se graduó de Sunset, y sus hijos no ven la hora de asistir a la…
Los estudiantes de la Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy en A. Maceo Smith no solo están compartiendo sus opiniones, sino que también están descubriendo el poder de escuchar y aprender. “Soy una persona muy vocal. Me gusta hablar mucho y dar mi opinión”, dijo Andrew L. “Así que es genial tener un espacio donde podamos reunirnos y desarrollar esas ideas y opiniones”. Ese espacio es el estudio de pódcast. Ubicado en una esquina de la biblioteca de la escuela, se siente como un estudio escondido, completo con obras de arte hechas por los estudiantes de BOMLA. De manera similar, el…
Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy at A. Maceo Smith students aren’t just sharing their opinions; they’re discovering the power of listening and learning. “I’m a very vocal person. I like to talk a lot and give my opinion,” said Andrew L. “So it’s cool to have a place for us to come together and foster those ideas and opinions.” That space is the podcast room. Nestled in a corner of the school library, it feels like a hidden studio, complete with art submitted by fellow BOMLA students. Similarly, the podcast is entirely student-run, capturing the pulse of campus life and…
A hundred years ago, students walking through open fields to reach Sunset High School were said to resemble a herd of bison. Today, that same spirit of strength and resilience lives on as the Sunset Bison community celebrates a century of history in Oak Cliff. “I feel such a sense of pride for Sunset,” said Adriana Tapia, an alum who is now a teacher. “I am proud of what Sunset accomplished over the years and what it represents for our community.” Tapia’s husband is a Sunset grad, and their children are already looking forward to attending when they go to…
Luego de que Sam Tasby Middle School recibiera una clasificación de D de parte de la Agencia de Educación de Texas (TEA) dos años atrás, la directora Nesha Maston sabía que algo tenía que cambiar. “Estábamos un poco desanimados, pero en lugar de aceptar la derrota, nos levantamos e hicimos lo que teníamos que hacer”, dijo. Tasby empezó el año escolar 2024–2025 con la meta del distrito, de subir solo un nivel, pero Maston confiaba en que sus maestros y estudiantes podían con más. Y así fue. La escuela no solo recibió una B en el examen STAAR, sino también…
After Sam Tasby Middle School earned a D from the Texas Education Agency two years ago, Principal Nesha Maston knew something had to change. “We were a little disheartened, but instead of accepting defeat, we pulled ourselves up and did what we had to do,” she said. Tasby began the 2024-2025 school year with a district goal to climb just one level, but Maston believed her teachers and students could do more. They proved her right. The campus not only earned a B on the STAAR test, but also celebrated the highest Texas Education Agency score in its nearly 20-year…