At Cooper Academy, art is more than a creative outlet. It’s helping students find their voices, overcome personal challenges and honor lives lost in one of Texas’ deadliest natural disasters.
This year, students at San Antonio Independent School District specialized campus downtown are creating a special Día de los Muertos ofrenda honoring the 119 Kerr County victims of the July 2025 floods.
Instead of a traditional altar, students are painting rocks with the victims’ names and ages, arranging them to resemble the flowing Guadalupe River. The display also incorporates colors and imagery representing Camp Mystic and the lives lost.
“The kids decided they wanted to add the ages too because that was important to see,” art teacher Jolene Navarro said.
For senior Alexandria Barron-Rico, the project is deeply emotional.
“Especially writing the names and then the age, it really puts into perspective that nothing is promised,” she said. “It’s really sad to see they had a whole life ahead of them.”
But the project represents something bigger at Cooper Academy, where students who struggled at traditional campuses are finding a fresh start.
With fewer than 400 students and art classes averaging 10 to 15 students, the school offers a more personal learning environment.
Navarro said art has helped students who once struggled to connect with others discover confidence and a sense of belonging.
“We see kids that weren’t schooled, they didn’t feel like they belonged, and now they feel like they belong. And it’s through art that they’re able to find that connection,” Navarro said.
Barron-Rico, who arrived at Cooper Academy in February, said the difference has been life-changing.
“I’ve been to a couple, I’ve been around four. And I never felt so cared for,” she said. “They care. They want us to graduate. And they want us move forward.”
Painting has also become a source of peace.
“It quiets my mind,” she said. “All I want to do is paint. And it really just brings peace to me.”
Barron-Rico plans to graduate in December 2026 and pursue a college degree in business administration.
Her outlook on the future is filled with confidence.
“I’m gonna be successful. I will be successful,” she said.
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