"You're a symbol of light for many a youth, by pointing the way to life's best. You stand as a beacon in Tulsa by teaching the ideals of truth. You inspire us with all that is worthy and gird us for life's greatest test. Oh God help us ever grow stalwart in body in soul and in mind, that the light of dear Booker T. high school may grow brighter and always shine!"
Booker T. Washington high school brought me four of the best years of my life! I am so thankful I got to go to such a good school with such fun and interesting people. I am so proud to say I'm a hornet and from the lyrics of one of our band chants, "I'm so glad I WENT to Booker T!!"
One reason I loved Booker T. so much was because of the diversity we had. To ensure greater ethnic, economic, and intellectual diversity, students who live in historically minority and economically depressed neighborhoods were offered admission consideration. I met so many different kinds of people at school; we had people with blue hair, people who wore fairy wings every day, people who didn't wear shoes, and the list goes on. I met so many different kinds of people and I think if I had gone to any other high school I probably wouldn't have gotten that same opportunity.
The dub, as we liked to call it, was ranked 65th in Newsweek magazine's list of the top 100 public high schools in America in 2008. Booker T. is a historically African American school and was the first school in Tulsa to be desegregated. It has both AP (advanced placement) and IB (international baccalaureate) programs and has the most amazing band and drumline known as the High Steppin T-Connection marching band. The funky d's (the drumline) is something everyone can enjoy and look forward to. We have championship football, basketball, swim, soccer and cross country teams. Not to mention we also have quite a few notable alumni, including supermodel Amber Valletta, and football players R.W. McQuarters and Felix Jones. It's also cool to think about all of the other future notable alumni we will be able to add to the list. I know just from my class of 2008, I can think of so many people that will go far and do great things. Even after reading all of this information and understanding how great of a school Booker T. was, you still don't get a feel for the spirit and pride of the school unless you were a hornet. Especially after writing this blog, it made me realize how much I truly loved my school.
BTW is a great school. Do you think your experiences there prepared you for the diverse environment of college?
ReplyDeleteI think one of the most important reasons why Booker T is such a "magical" place is the pride that every student has. It is literally unexplainable. I am not sure if it our band, our pep assemblies, the classrooms, the songs & dances, teachers, or sporting events that makes students fall in love with our school but there is definitely something in the water. I have so much pride for our school's history. No other school in Tulsa has the story even close to ours and everyone wears that pride on their sleeve.
ReplyDeleteEven today, when I meet people in college and they ask where I went to high school I love telling people BTW and watching their reaction. Some understand that it is a great place and some truly just don't get it. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked "well aren't you afraid you are going to get shot?" It is literally unbelievable. I can remember 4, maybe 5 fights, total while I went to school there.
Schools like Booker T are there, I believe, to continue this fight agaisnt racism. I once had a close family friend who went to private school ask me "What's it like to go to school with black people?". I was in complete shock. I responded with "What's it like to go to school with rich people?"
Not only was Booker T open to race and diversity, I felt it was an open place for sexuality. In a time like today where being gay or bi is still taboo to some people, our school was very excepting. Something that is just as important as being open to race, I believe.
The lessons Booker T has taught me I hope to forever carry with me, and hopefully share my open-mindedness and open-heartedness with others.
I grew up on the north side of Tulsa, and all my life I wanted to go to Booker T. and be a Hornet. My freshman year of high school, my family moved out to West Tulsa and I had to go to Webster. I still went to all of Booker T.'s sporting events, talent shows and Hi-Jinks. My sophomore year I got my wish and I was accepted to Booker T. Being a Hornet is something you are born into, that is where the pride comes from.........
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