Greetings, Bulldog Nation! FINE ARTS ANNOUNCEMENT - I am thrilled to announce that Bowie’s new theater, opening in the fall of 2022, will be named the Betsy Cornwell Performing Arts Center! Betsy Cornwell has been the head director of the James Bowie High School Starlight Theatre Company since the school’s opening in 1988, making her name synonymous with the program. Having led one of the largest and most prolific theatre programs in the state, Mrs. Cornwell has brought state, national, and international recognition to our school while mentoring thousands of students during her tenure in Austin ISD. A group of her former students initiated a grassroots effort to name the new facilities in her honor, gathering powerful testimonials of support from over 200 Bowie alumni. Last Thursday night, with the enthusiastic support of the Bowie Campus Advisory Committee, the Austin ISD School Board formally approved the proposal. We count ourselves lucky that Mrs. Cornwell has chosen to serve at Bowie for so many years, and we now look forward to attending future productions at “The Betsy”!

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