Director – Ms. Reinhackel (Ms. R)

 The Theatre Arts Department of Highlands Junior School is the most traveled and busiest junior school drama department in the district.  Every year, students attend several out-of-district speech contests in Alvin, Pearland, Clearlake and Angleton, bringing home a bus full of trophies and ribbons.  Members of the Theatre Arts Department also enter events such as the annual Optimist Club Speech Contest and the Barbara Jordan Speech Contest.  Highlands Junior Students have won both of these events 3 times, garnering over $10,000.00 in scholarships and prizes, over the past 5 years.

 The Theatre Arts Department also has a touring company called TEENS ON TOUR!  This group of talented individuals tours for two days in December, bringing Christmas cheer to 8 retirement communities in the Baytown/Highlands area.  For those residents who are unable to leave their rooms to view the performance, the students walk up and down the halls, singing Christmas carols and sharing the Christmas spirit with each those residents as well.  Santa Claus always has a smile and a hug for everyone.  TEENS ON TOUR! is a group welcomed everywhere it goes.  After their performances, the students hand out ornaments to all of the residents.  For booking information write kareinhackel@gccisd.net or call Highlands Junior at 281-420-4695 ext. 276.

 Each year, the Theatre Arts Department performs a major Broadway musical, complete with singing (some lip syncing) and dancing.  This major performance is in addition to the other 7 plays students will perform during the school year.

 The students in Theatre Arts receive opportunities to gain a glimpse of careers in the theatre through field trips to Sterling, Lee, the Alley Theatre, The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and other venues in the Houston area.  It is a department on the move and growing fast with over 160 students currently enrolled in Theatre Arts.