The art of everyday at Booker T. Washington

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 everyone 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, using scrap metal to create sculptures of Texas wildlife.

Students at Booker T. can choose from four conservatories or pathways : dance, music, theater, and visual arts. All of them, like Lucas, are getting a well rounded education at the arts magnet. 

“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. best exemplifies this. 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.”

He now studies the saxophone, and 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 a 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 fields, students learn how to become working artists. 

“They are actually doing the things 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.”