Dallas Independent School District
10/21/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/21/2025 11:33
Dallas ISD News: The art of everyday at Booker T. Washington
The art of everyday at Booker T. Washington
Editor's note: Spanish story included below
DALLAS -
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, music, theater, and visual arts. But for Lucas and his classmates, an education at Booker T. is well-rounded.
"I came here for visual arts, but I started to learn instruments and play guitar," Lucas said.
He said it's common for students to broaden their horizons and express themselves in all kinds of art, regardless of their conservatory.
Ben S. is an example.
A member of the music conservatory, Ben is a talented visual artist and said his parents encouraged him to check out Booker T. when he was in eighth grade.
"They thought I was going to go for drawing," he said. "My dad took me on a tour, and once I was in the building, I knew I wanted to try it out."
At Booker T., he studies the saxophone, and he also plays the piano and guitar.
"I can never leave instruments alone. I find myself playing around with stuff," he said. "Once you learn one, it's easy to pick up others."
While his favorite genre is jazz, Ben said his teachers introduced him to different types of music, opening his eyes to the world of opportunities.
"This school does a really good job expanding skillsets. I've learned how to play classical music here, and I've learned to appreciate it," he said. "It's beautiful to see everything as art, because it is. Booker T. does a good job teaching that."
Since many of the teachers have work experience in their field, students learn how to become working artists.
"They are actually doing the thing we want to do," Ben said. "All music teachers were former performing musicians. They can tell you how to fully prepare, and they love doing that."
In the visual arts conservatory, teachers work on their own projects alongside their students, Lucas added.
Both seniors, Lucas and Ben are looking ahead to life after high school. Ben plans on pursuing a music career, while Lucas wants to become an electrician.
"Being here taught me how to work with my hands," Lucas said. "I started looking at trade schools, and everyone here is really supportive of it."
To learn more about Booker T. and how students can launch their legacies, attend Discover Dallas ISD on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Automobile Building in Fair Park.
Spanish story:
El arte de la cotidianidad en Booker T. Washington
DALLAS - En Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, la inspiración no solo anda por los pasillos -canta, dibuja y baila en ellos también.
"Es una comunidad con un solo objetivo. Todos pensamos igual", dijo Lucas S. "Nadie juzga y todos nos aceptamos como somos".
Lucas, cuyos hermanos mayores se graduaron de Booker T., creyó en un principio que seguiría sus pasos como pintor. Con el tiempo, no obstante, su enfoque se viró hacia el arte tridimensional, para el que usa piezas de metal para crear esculturas de la vida silvestre de Texas.
En Booker T., existen cuatro conservatorios de los cuales los estudiantes pueden escoger: baile, música, teatro y artes visuales. Pero para Lucas y sus compañeros, la educación en Booker T. lo lleva todo.
"Vine para artes visuales, pero empecé a aprender a tocar instrumentos, como la guitarra", dijo Lucas.
Asimismo, asegura que frecuentemente los estudiantes expanden sus horizontes y se expresan con toda clase de arte, sea cual sea su conservatorio.
Ben S. es un ejemplo.
Como miembro del conservatorio de música, Ben es un talentoso artista visual y dice que sus padres lo motivaron a investigar sobre Booker T. cuando estaba en octavo grado.
"Creían que iba a ir para dibujar", dijo. "Mi papá me llevó a hacer un recorrido, y una vez en el edificio, supe que quería probarlo".
Hoy, Ben estudia saxofón y toca el piano y la guitarra.
"Yo no suelto mis instrumentos. Jugueteo con todo", dijo. "Una vez que aprendes a tocar uno, es fácil aprender otros".
Aunque su género favorito es el jazz, Ben dice que sus maestros le enseñaron diferentes tipos de música, lo que abrió sus ojos ante un mundo de posibilidades.
"Esta escuela hace un buen trabajo al momento de enseñar habilidades. He aprendido a tocar música clásica, y he aprendido a valorarla", dijo. "Es hermoso ver como todo es arte, porque así es. Booker T. hace un buen trabajo al enseñar eso".
Como muchos de los maestros tienen experiencia laboral en su ámbito, los estudiantes aprenden a ser artistas en activo.
"Ellos suelen hacer lo que nosotros queremos hacer", dijo Ben. "Todos los maestros de música fueron músicos profesionales. Ellos te pueden enseñar a prepararte a fondo, y les encanta hacerlo".
En el conservatorio de artes visuales, los maestros trabajan en sus propios proyectos junto con los estudiantes, agregó Lucas.
Lucas y Ben, que se graduarán este año escolar, ven con ilusión la vida después de la preparatoria. Ben piensa perseguir una carrera en la música, mientras que Lucas quiere volverse electricista.
"Estar aquí me enseñó a trabajar con las manos", dijo Lucas. "Investigué escuelas vocacionales, y todos aquí me apoyan".
Para aprender más sobre Booker T. Washington, no se pierda Descubre Dallas ISD el sábado, 1 de noviembre, en el Fair Park Automobile Building.
Dallas Independent School District published this content on October 21, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 21, 2025 at 17:33 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]