May 9, 2025

Good evening Visual Arts students, parents and supporters! Congratulations to our seniors on their last full day at Booker T. This weekend is prom, next week is the senior breakfast and party, senior awards, and the faculty/student volleyball game. For underclassmen, May 12-16 is a testing week. Read on for more reminders and announcements to get us through the end of the school year.

Whether this is your first guild meeting or your last, we hope to see you as we say goodbye to our senior families and welcome the Class of 2029!

The 2025 All-School Musical has been announced. Guys & Dolls will hit the MAT stage September 10-14, 2025. Students who want to audition in any capacity must fill out the audition form on the PTSA website at btwptsa.membershiptoolkit.com/guysanddolls before May 15.

The Playbill student artwork contest is also now open through May 22. Rising students in 10-12 grades during the 2025-2026 school year from all conservatories can participate. The artwork should reflect the following:

• Title of the show "Guys and Dolls"
• City: New York skyline
• Representative symbols: dice, pearls, coins, cash
• Time period: 1980s and 1990s

Visit the PTSA site for additional design instructions on the artwork contest. The deadline to submit artwork is Thursday, May 22, 2025. 

Rising seniors (Class of 2026) are invited to submit a design for the class t-shirt by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21. After all submissions are received and approved by the BTWHSPVA administration, senior students will be able to vote for their favorite design. The design with the most votes will be featured on the Class of 2026 t-shirt. 

Students are also asked to submit their shirt size by Monday, June 16 so your shirt can be ready for you in senior Welcome Week in August. Shirts are courtesy of the PTSA and your Senior Activities Committee.

Thank you to Visual Arts senior parent Kelly Martin for taking photos of all our seniors on Signing Day. Students, you can view all the photos and download your favorites from the PTSA Google Drive.

Senior students need to RSVP for senior activities (breakfast, party, volleyball game and Baccalaureate) by May 12. Even if you can't attend, please RSVP so the Senior Activities Committee can better plan these events.

Thank you to our Young American Talent Chair Kay Wood for an amazing exhibit and reception. If you weren't able to attend the reception on Thursday, stop by the exhibit before May 16 to view more than 140 finalists from north and central Texas. Congratulations to all YAT winners. Special congrats to the Booker T students who received awards.

YAT is a year-round program that relies on volunteers in many different capacities. Thank you to Committee Chair Kay Wood and volunteers who have helped throughout the year - Jodi Carlton, Camille Knight, Lashay Marshall, Sonja Messenger, Ana and Noe Palacios, Marie-Louise Van Hummel, Julie Barrera, Jennifer Blankenship, Kelly Martin, Britt Piburn and Gina Pavon. (Sincere apologies to anyone I've missed! THANK YOU!)

Thank you to Tiffany Bennett, Kelly Martin, Lucina Ortiz and Abby Romine for donating time and resources to our teacher appreciation event on Tuesday, May 6. 

Thank you to Jodi Carlton, Jennifer Blankenship, Blanca Gonzalez and Britt Piburn for supporting the Young American Talent reception on Thursday, May 8.

Our last volunteer opportunities are Saturday, May 17 and Monday, May 19. 

• On Saturday, volunteers will help students collect their YAT artwork from the Hudson Gallery, and help set up for senior dinner ahead of the event on Monday. 
• On Monday, May 19 volunteers are needed to help set up, serve, clean up and break down senior dinner.

Visual Arts Conservatory and guild events are marked with *. Visit the school calendar for details on schoolwide events.

Visual Arts Guild at BTWHSPVA

2501 Flora St.

Dallas TX 75201