News Briefs

Madison High School seniors Desmond Scott, JeMichael Bowens, and Patrick Terry have played basketball together for years, logging so much time as teammates that each player usually knows in advance what their friends will do on the court. The practice and camaraderie paid off: Madison won the UIL 3A State Basketball tournament in San Antonio earlier this month. The players were freshman on the basketball team when Madison last won state in 2013. Terry and Bowens have been close friends and played basketball together since second-grade, and Scott has played with them since junior high. “We’ve pushed each other and…

Sometimes, hands just have to dance. Nico Baixas, a performer in Cirque du Soleil’s KURIOS-Cabinet of Curiosities, took his flexible, expressive fingers to Herbert Marcus Elementary School on Thursday in front of deaf and hearing-impaired students. His show was not only entertaining, but his moves showed another way of how hands can be used to communicate beyond sign language. “You can use your hands to do big things, strong things,” Baixas said. “But you can also use your hands to do little things, like painting.” The contrast also works to describe the difference between the small, tabletop performance at Marcus to the…

Skyline High School’s Marcus Garrett has been named the 2016-2017 Gatorade Texas Boys Basketball Player of the Year! The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Garrett as the best high school boys basketball player in Texas. “I am humbled and honored to receive this award, and I have my coach and teammates to thank,” Garrett said. Skyline Head Basketball Coach Paul Graham describes Garrett as someone who is humble and thankful and has good people in his life. Since Garrett has played…

The African American Success Initiative partnered with Southern Methodist University Athletics and Physics Department to provide an exciting STEM experience to students. Over 25 schools were invited to participate and approximately 1,000 Dallas ISD elementary and middle school students had the opportunity to see an exciting women’s basketball game between SMU and Texas State. In preparation for the event, students were encouraged to create their own fun STEM related posters to encourage the women’s basketball team to win; SMU won the game! Students participated in a creative half time show that exposed them to the world of STEM. Dr. Fred Olness…