Bowie community celebrates 100 years during three-day legacy event
(El Paso Independent School District – Sept. 6, 2022) – The Bowie community marked a century of existence with a three-day Legacy Extravaganza to celebrate the Oso Oso Oso passion, tradition and pride.
The three-day events gave current and past students a chance to reminisce about their beloved Bowie High School and its historic impact on South El Paso, which began in 1922 with the opening of Bowie Grammar School.
Festivities kicked off Thursday at the fine arts theater with the Bear Welcome featuring remarks by El Paso ISD Superintendent Diana Sayavedra, District 1 Trustee Leah Hanany, U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, state Sen. César J. Blanco, County Judge Ricardo Samaniego and Bowie High School principal Rose Gandarilla.
The celebration continued with a parade featuring alumni, students and dignitaries making their way through the streets that linked Bowie High School to its original roots at the corner of Cotton and Seventh Street. Bowie, known for its historic ties to the military through Company E, honored its veterans at a tailgate picnic on the grounds of the Chamizal Memorial. The festivities concluded Saturday with the Bowie Legacy Gala at the El Paso County Coliseum featuring Little Joe y La Familia.
The Legacy Extravaganza celebrated the roots of the Bowie community, which began with the opening of the grammar school on Sept. 7, 1922 with 472 students from kindergarten to sixth grade.
Bowie High School opened its doors in 1927 becoming the heart of El Paso’s Mexican-American culture, the center of a vibrant alumni network and the embodiment of the American dream. It has continued its mission to empower students with a quality education that embraces the culture of its roots in El Paso’s Segundo Barrio, origins which set Bowie apart from other high schools.
Among its many accolades, Bowie touts a state baseball championship claimed in 1949 with a win over Austin’s Stephen F. Austin High School.
Bowie’s notable alumni include Ambrosio Guillen, a Medal of Honor recipient; Javier Montez, a 1952 Summer Olympics athlete; and Nolan Richardson, an NCAA Hall of Fame men's basketball coach.
Photos by Leonel Monroy, Jr.