ESD and Greenhill students experienced a very inspiring message about finding their life’s calling and answering that call after watching a presentation titled “At the Table with Dr. King.”

In honor of Black History Month, the program explored the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement though integrating live music, period-based audio and video clips, monologues, and historical narratives.

People Newspaper editor Dan Koller and I watched the presentation with a group of ESD students and after it was over, we left pretty excited to change the world.

At a round table after their performance, cast members told us that the program was meant to inspire students to be agents of positive change in their community. Some of the Upper School students at ESD and Greenhill were interviewed by cast members and all had positive reactions to the message.

A couple of student leaders from ESD said they are planning a many other events for Black History Month including charity projects and talent shows.

In collaboration with DADYO, a student diversity organization including ESD, Jesuit, Ursuline, St. Mark’s, Hockaday, Parish Episcopal, and Greenhill, the schools and students have a busy month ahead of them recognizing Black History Month.

Today: Tonight is opening night for St. Marks and Hockaday students participating in  Fiddler On The Roof. Curtain call is 7:30 and is hosted at the Hockaday Fine Arts Center. There is also a Saturday night performance and Sunday matinee if you miss tonights.

Saturday: Brent Kollock will be speaking about his latest work “Painting as a Metaphor,” during a reception hosted by the Norwood Flynn Gallery. The reception is from 6-8 p.m. and is open to the public.

Sunday: Parish Episcopal’s rendition of Thoroughly Modern Millie closes after their Sunday matinee. Produced by the Upper School, the show will be held in the schools Black Box Theatre, and tickets can be purchased here.

Downing is acknowledged as one of the leading architects in Texas in preservation/restoration. He is remembered for his deep fascination with what he considered the “elegant intersection of design with artisan craftsmanship” of early Texas architecture. His award-winning works include structures at Old City Park in Dallas and the innovative Meadows Foundation 20 acre preservation/restoration project, the Wilson and Beilharz Blocks, the Meadows Foundation Headquarters building, restoration of the adjoining historic park, and many structures included in the original plan. Equally renowned was his creation of an 1830’s farmstead for industrialist, Pete Gifford, CEO, Gifford Hill. That property, called Wolf Run, located in North Texas, was later given to a Dallas private school to serve as an educational retreat.

In recent years, Downing led the restoration of the historic chapel built on the Kenedy Ranch in South Texas for Sarita Kenedy. He occasionally designed period and contemporary homes for both city and country life.

He is survived by spouse, Victoria Smith Downing; daughter, Nan Elizabeth Downing; son, Michael Lindsay Downing and wife Alexandra; grandson, Archer “Archie” Lindsey Downing; sisters, Joy Sue Moutos and husband Vas, and La Ruth Scruggs and husband Larry; nieces: Sheila Holt and husband Steve, Mary Ann Murphy and husband Joe, and Susan Kaye Bailey and husband Ken; nephew, Jimmy Moutos; grandnieces, Carrie Taylor and Allyson Holt; and the Loucille and Kenneth Smith families.

Services will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb 4, 2012, at Cox Chapel, Highland Park United Methodist Church. The Rev. Terry P. Jones will officiate and Curtis Meadows, former president of the Meadows Foundation, will deliver the eulogy. Tributes may be made to the Texas Tech College of Architecture, c/o Andrew Vernooy, Dean of Architecture, College of Architecture, 18th and Flint Avenues, P.O. Box 42091, Lubbock, TX 79409.

“Teaching children and their families how to stay heart-healthy is an important component of our physical education and science curriculum,” said Kris Brockhagen, lower school physical education coordinator in a press release. “It is fabulous to see the support not only of our students, but our families and faculty, as well. There were over 400 participants at ESD event. This program can literally save lives.”

In fact, those schools will have only one new team each in their districts for the next two school years. Jesuit and W.T. White will remain in the current District 9-5A with Skyline, Sunset, Richardson, Berkner, and Lake Highlands. The district will lose Samuell and pick up Pearce, which should make things a whole lot easier for Richardson ISD athletic officials. Pearce moved up from Class 4A.

Meanwhile, Samuell moves over to the current District 12-4A to make it an eight-team league. The Spartans will join Hillcrest, Thomas Jefferson, Bryan Adams, Conrad, Lincoln, Spruce, and Woodrow Wilson.