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Creativity in the Time of Covid–May 2, 2021

Senior Showcases signal the end of the year and a moment of triumph and reflection for seniors and their families. This issue has all the latest info on our Senior Showcases and other end-of-year events. The season for celebrating seniors begins this Wednesday, May 5, with the Senior Thesis Show for VPA Visual Art. Also May 5, our Film & Animation students’ works will be featured at the Sarasota Film Festival’s Hollywood Nights event. So much is on the horizon!

SFF’s Hollywood Nights May 5th

Three VPA Film & Animation films will debut at the Sarasota Film Festival’s Hollywood Nights Young Filmmaker Showcase  Wednesday, May 5th, at the CMX CinéBistro Siesta Key at 7:30PM. The red carpet will start 45 minutes earlier, so if you want to see the filmmakers in their Hollywood moment, arrive early! 

VPA Music to Host Invitational Concerts with Middle Schools

JAM!

May 20th at 6:30pm

Come witness Booker High School’s first-ever rock concert! With Category 5 and Tempest headlining, this high-energy concert will feature special guests from the Booker Middle School Modern Band Program. Enjoy a wide array of music from metal to the blues, with selections from Queen, Paramore, John Mayer, Led Zeppelin and more. Come rock out with us at the Eye of the Tornado. Admission $5/person in pods of 2-5. Tickets must be bought 24+ hours in advance of the show–look for a link to purchase soon!

Sing!

May 21st at 6:30pm

“It doesn’t matter if your days are long, it doesn’t matter if your night’s gone wrong…”  SING!

Booker VPA Choir’s final concert of the year promises to exalt the spirit and deliver joy after a year that has lobbed a ton of unprecedented challenges at us.

It has been a long time since we have been able to come together, so we hope you join us for this vocal extravaganza you will never forget! We are pleased to share the stage with vocalists from the Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences. $5/per person in pods of 2-5. Tickets must be bought 24+ hours in advance of the show. Stay tuned for ticketing links!

Senior Showcases and Other Senior Events

Senior Carnival-May 22 @ 6 p.m.

No prom? No problem! The senior carnival is a jubilant end-of-year celebration for Booker High Graduates. With a giant dual slide, old-fashioned video games (DDR, anyone?), raffles, music, games, obstacle course and more, the senior carnival will deliver plenty of fun. 

Food trucks will be on site offering up tempting treats from Kona Ice, El Taco Loco and more, with popcorn and other treats up for grabs. 

This is the event guaranteed to render "prom" obsolete. $30 admission/all revelers must submit hold-harmless agreement. 

VPA Silver Cord Ceremony-June 3 @ 6:30 p.m.

This is a new tradition, born out of pandemic last spring that we liked so much we’re continuing it in perpetuity. Our VPA seniors and their families are invited to this special ceremony to receive the regalia that signifies the achievement of their VPA accomplishment, the silver graduation cord. This is a final moment for our VPA teachers to recognize their students’ achievements and wish them well in their futures. Details to come, but seniors and their families should save the date for this very special event.

Graduation 2021-June 5 @ 9 a.m.

This year's graduating class has envisioned their future during a present that bears no resemblance to any time in modern history. They are embarking on their future journeys, learning what society needs, and deciding how their skills and passions can contribute to an ever-changing social and technological landscape. 

What a year it's been, and what joy it will be to celebrate their accomplishments and set them forth on their paths. 

The event is at Ed Smith Stadium and will follow CDC safety guidelines. 

Other Senior Events

  • May 5-14 | VPA Art Senior Thesis Showcase — The Art Center Sarasota (call for viewing appointment-(941) 365-2042)
  • May 24 @ 7:30 p.m. | VPA Dance Senior Showcase “Daydreaming in Nature” — Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (invitation only, livestream available to public; please join us from the comfort of home to support this achievement!)
  • May 28 @ 7 p.m. | VPA Theatre Senior Showcase “Light, or the Lack Thereof” — Mainstage VPA Theatre (invitation only, livestream available to public; please join us from the comfort of home to support this achievement!)
  • May 29 @ 6 p.m. | VPA Music Awards — Booker High School Pavilion
  • May 29 @ 7 p.m. | VPA Music Senior Showcase “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” — BHS Eye of the Tornado
  • June 3 @ 6:30 p.m. | VPA Silver Cord Ceremony — BHS Eye of the Tornado
  • June 4 @ 7 p.m. | VPA Film & Animation Senior Showcase — Virtual ONLY; streaming details coming soon

VPA Art Student Earns RCAD Praise

Lexi Linton: “Study of Face” earned Honorable Mention at the Ringling College of Art + Design high school art contest.

A hearty congratulations to VPA Art sophomore Lexi Linton on her acceptance to Ringling’s Pre College this summer with $1500 of the $3000 tuition cost given through a financial need scholarship.  She is eager and hopeful that the other $1500 will appear through her hard work and fundraising.

Lexi also submitted a work called “Study of Face” to the Ringling College of Art and Design’s High School Art Contest and received an Honorable Mention, high acclaim, as the competition was fierce.  This piece will be part of their online exhibition available at 9am on Friday May 14 at their gallery’s website: https://www.crossleygallery.com/

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