The Dispatch

Monday, September 14, 2026

Texas Tribune Fest - wanna go? See Reeves

Here is information about the Texas Tribune Fest:

https://festival.texastribune.org

Monday, May 11, 2026

NEW Voices 2026-27 - posted 5.11.26

Get Involved: New Voices Texas Leadership Search

New Voices Texas is looking for the next generation of student leaders to help lead the charge for press freedom in the Lone Star State. As we look ahead to the 2027 Texas Legislative Session, we need passionate student advocates to help build our statewide coalition.

Please share these opportunities with your students:

Apply for Leadership: NVT is seeking high school and college officers (Legislative, Communications, Regional Organizers, and more). Deadline: May 31.
Application Link: https://forms.gle/9HTGEZb5SZaAxo4t5
SPLC Summer Institute: Students can also apply for the SPLC’s virtual leadership training (July 14–23).
Deadline: May 20
Application Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSelDpoM7qWSbOznUSfvZIbsz5mEj6ZeqG6uETzrvmmDYWDd1A/viewform

Full details and more information are available on the NVT website: https://newvoicestx.com/2026/04/25/apply-by-may-31-to-be-a-nvt-leader-2/

Friday, May 8, 2026

Non-Senior, NOT RETURNING to the program Final Exam. Posted 5/8. Due 2nd period by Friday, May 22 AND 6th period by Tuesday, May 26.

This is the non-senior, NOT RETURNING to newspaper final exam for 2025-26

You will write 3 letters today for your final exam.

Your grade will be based on the amount of care you take writing these reflections. If you give half effort, do not expect a 100. Length and thoughtful writing are two of the criteria. If you give me 1/4 of a page on each letter, do not expect a 100. I am asking you to reflect on your year here in my program. Even if you are not returning, you should have learned something this year that you can take away for future use.

AIt the beginning of next year, I will email your letter 1 to you, or if you are in my class, I will print it out for you. At the end of next year, I will email mail you your Letter 2. Hopefully your email still works.

Please make ONE Google Doc using YOUR PERSONAL GMAIL and write the first TWO Letters. When you finish these letters, please share the link with me at the following email address: bowie.journalism@gmail.com.

DO NOT SEND ME MULTIPLE EMAILS.

Letter 1 – write a letter to yourself that you will read the first week of school next year. I expect this one to be at least 300-350 words. Don't short change this one. Here are your prompts to reflect/write:

I did a lot of great things last year that should be repeated: (think of at least 4)

Here are some things to remember: (think of at least 4)

What are some of the problems you had in newspaper this year in terms of meeting the expectations of the class?

Are there things that you think would have helped you be more successful in newspaper? This is your chance to tell me what I could have done better.

In a simple statement, give me the biggest reason you are not returning and what you could have done to keep that from happening.

Letter 2 – write a letter to yourself that you will read in 10 years. Write at least 350 words here. Here are the prompts for that letter and you can start with this:

This is me 10 years ago. I’m sure I’ve forgotten all about this email by now, and I’ve probably forgotten a lot about who I was in 2026. I’m sitting in my newspaper class final right now and Mr. Reeves is making me write to myself in the future, so hello future me, I hope everything is great in your life right now.

1. Here’s some fun stuff to remember about me in 2025-26:

In 2024-25, I have the following goals for my:

2. Education

3. Family

4. Career

5. Other

6. In case I need some words of encouragement, here’s some things about me now that I like a lot, that I hope you still have:

7. There are also some things about me now that I know I’m still working on that I hope you have figure out by now.

8. At (age) when I write this letter I’ve…..

Love, me on May ??, 2026 (name)

NOW FOR LETTER 3 - PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING ON PAPER NOT ON THE COMPUTER. I have lots of materials for you on the table up front like paper, markers, etc.

Letter 3 – write a letter to an important teacher you had this year. You can choose anyone you want that is a member of the Bowie faculty and staff.

Write a greeting, paragraphs, a closing (Sincerely, or Yours, or Thank you) and your signature. Tell them what they meant to you. Give specific examples and details! One page will suffice. This is not a specific request for you to write me a letter, please pick who you want.

If you need some help, here are some prompts:

“You might not know it, but…”

“Even though you ________, I want you to know that _________ “

“I think the most important lesson I learned from you was…”

“The thing I respect most about you is….”

“One time, when I was _________, you _______ and I……”

“I have a hard time with _______, and you helped me _______”

“I know you ______, but for my classmates and me, it ________”

“I appreciate it when you ____________”

“It means a lot to me that you take the time to ____________”

“When I look back on __________, I realize that you ___________”

When you are done - you can put it into one of the envelopes I have provided and I will make sure they get these in their boxes before school is out. Teachers need this kind of letter. Make it real. Make it mean something.

Non-Senior, Returning to the program Final Exam 26-27. Posted 5/8. Due 2nd period by Friday, May 22 AND 6th period by Tuesday, May 26.

This is the non-senior, RETURNING to newspaper, final exam for 2025-26

You will write 3 letters today for your final exam.

At the beginning of next year, I will email your letter 1 to you, or if you are in my class, I will print it out for you. At the end of next year, I will email mail you your Letter 2. Hopefully your email still works.

I did a lot of great things last year that should be repeated: (think of at least 4)

Here are some things to remember: (think of at least 4)

Remind yourself of something that didn’t go so well in newspaper this year and tell yourself how to avoid them in the future. Explain how you worked around the problems.

Letter 2 – write a letter to yourself that you will read in 10 years. Write at least 350 words here. Here are the prompts for that letter and you can start with this:

1. Here’s some fun stuff to remember about me in 2025-26:

In 2024-25, I have the following goals for my:

2. Education

3. Family

4. Career

5. Other

6. In case I need some words of encouragement, here’s some things about me now that I like a lot, that I hope you still have:

7. There are also some things about me now that I know I’m still working on that I hope you have figure out by now.

8. At (age) when I write this letter I’ve…..

Love, me on May ??, 2026 (name)

NOW FOR LETTER 3 - PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING ON PAPER NOT ON THE COMPUTER. I have lots of materials for you on the table up front like paper, markers, etc.

Letter 3 – write a letter to an important teacher you had this year. You can choose anyone you want that is a member of the Bowie faculty and staff.

If you need some help, here are some prompts:

“You might not know it, but…”

“Even though you ________, I want you to know that _________ “

“I think the most important lesson I learned from you was…”

“The thing I respect most about you is….”

“One time, when I was _________, you _______ and I……”

“I have a hard time with _______, and you helped me _______”

“I know you ______, but for my classmates and me, it ________”

“I appreciate it when you ____________”

“It means a lot to me that you take the time to ____________”

“When I look back on __________, I realize that you ___________”

Senior Final Exam. Posted 5/8. 6th period due on Thursday, May 21. 2nd period due Friday, May 22.

FINAL DEADLINE ITEMS FOR SENIORS

1. Write your senior Goodbye letter and put it in the drive here. This will publish online. Talk to me if you have questions or concerns. There are plenty to look at on the Dispatch website if you need something to guide you:

Senior Goodbye Letters

PLEASE PUT ANY NAMES YOU USE IN THE LETTER IN BOLD - this means teachers, friends, parents, etc.

2. Put a photo that you like of yourself in the drive for page 12 to help Liberty out:

Senior Photos

3. For your final you will write 3 letters and a response to an article you will read. Get this done ASAP. Two of the letters PLUS the response can be done on the same Google Doc. The other letter should be done BY HAND. I have lots of supplies to make these letters special and I will also provide you with an envelope. Ask me when you are done with letter 3.

Please create ONE Google Doc USING YOUR PERSONAL GMAIL and compete the following tasks. When you are done with all three tasks, share them with me at bowie.journalism@gmail.com:

Letter number 1 - on a Google Doc

Write a letter to yourself that will be read one year from now. Reflect on your current life situation. Have you changed this year? How will you be different in the next year? Have your goals changed for your future. In 2025-26 where do you want to be in life? Write about your goals, where you expect to be next year. Things I would like you to address include: fun stuff to remember from senior year, education, career, other, things about your family and friends, words of encouragement to yourself. You may need a little boost or maybe you need a pat on the back. Then – please write a short reflection about this year in newspaper class. Are there things you could have done differently, that you wanted to change? Are there things that you wish had happed differently? What things did you like about class? What things did you dislike? A few paragraphs will be fine on this section of the letter. I will send these to you at the end of next year, after your first year of college.

Letter number 2 - on the SAME Google Doc

Write a letter to yourself that will be read 10 years from now. Reflect on high school, especially your senior year. Address the topic of your current goals for yourself. What do you want to be doing, where do you want to live, who do you want to be in contact with still? Write about fun things you remember from this year (while they are fresh in your mind), remind yourself of those moments of importance from senior year, and address those things you would want to tell yourself 10 years from now. Things I would like you to address include: fun stuff to remember from senior year, education, career, other, things about your family and friends, words of encouragement to yourself. You may need a little boost or maybe you need a pat on the back. This needs to be different than the first letter so don't cut and paste. I will also send this to you next year, and then it will be up to you to keep it for a few years!! :)

Letter number 3 - DO THIS BY HAND NOT ON YOUR GOOGLE DOC

Write a letter to a teacher that meant something to you during your high school career. Thank them and tell them why they were important to you. Maybe you could write about your first encounter with them, or maybe an important moment that they were a part of. Try to write as close to a full page as you can. Teachers need these kinds of things. I would prefer that you do this by hand, I have lots of paper, markers, etc for you to use on the table. Please pick anyone you want to thank, this is not a specific request to write me a letter, unless that is something you want to do.

Reflective response - on the same Google Doc from above.

Please read the following article and respond to the questions and share that with me as well:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/message-to-my-freshman-st_b_7275016

Reflect on the article:

What information could you use next year?

What changes can you expect to encounter next year, based on what you read?

What skills will you need to work on to be a successful post-secondary student?

What are you most nervous about as you think about college next year?

What are you excited about when it comes to college?

If you could send Dr. Parsons a one paragraph response to this article, what would your write?

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Caffeine Poll

https://forms.gle/aQRW2USDgV2V6a8t7

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Editor/Staff applications Issue 6 and 26-27 preliminary app - posted 4/16

Here is the editor/staff application for Issue 6 and 26-27. All non-seniors returning to the program should fill this out by Wednesday, April 22. While some positions might already be written down in pencil as we move towards issue 6, changes can and will be made. We are trying to put out a 16 page paper, so we need a lot of people to step up and try something new. I also want to be thinking about the Digital side of things and figuring out what we are going to do on that side of the publications.

Thanks!!

26-27 editor/staff application