Love of arts leads student to DPSCD’s DSA
For 13-year-old King Moore, the COVID-19 pandemic was not going to derail his application to attend DPSCD’s School of Arts (DSA). The enterprising teen, possessing several artistic interests and talents, made a video of himself playing a piece on the piano in order to showcase his abilities to DSA evaluators, who would normally have students perform in person. That practice was negated by the virus outbreak.
While King’s audition video and application earned him a spot at DSA this fall as a freshman, it was his thank you Tik Tok video to DSA Principal, Lisa Reynolds, that endeared him to her. “It was a creative way to say thank you,” said Dr. Reynolds. “It showed me how excited he is to come to DSA and be part of the good work we are doing.”
King’s penchant for artistic endeavors, be it writing poetry, playing music (the piano), or performance art are talents that he shares with his mother, Jessica Care Moore. Jessica is a renowned performer in her own right. She writes poetry, is a playwright, artist and a producer. Her poems have been heard in legendary venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York as well as with the London Institute of Contemporary Arts. She has performed in every continent around the world, often with King in tow, particularly when he was little.
As a mother, she is proud of her son’s emerging artistry and thrilled that his talents will be cultivated during his time at DSA. “I am excited to see that King will get to fly artistically while at DSA,” Ms. Moore said. “I know he will be cared for and nurtured. I like what DSA is doing,” Jessica said.
As for King, the young man already has a resume before setting foot in the halls of DSA, one of the highest regarded arts-based schools in metropolitan Detroit.
King began writing poems between his 7th and 8th birthdays. And he continues to write. His current project is a children’s book on being a good street hockey player. Why? Well, he has been playing the game since he was six. In fact, he combined his passion for performance art as well as his interest in the game by starring in a documentary film about street hockey, helping to educate Detroit youth about the sport.
But make no mistake, King’s dreams lie in his artistic endeavors. He believes that DSA is the place to help him get to his next step of studying either music, filmmaking, animation or acting. “DSA is a school focused on the arts and the arts have always been my passion,” said King. “The school is focused on kids who love the arts and having the chance to see their passions grow.”
If your child is artistically inclined, there’s room for you at DSA. Last winter, the District announced an innovative partnership with 24 arts organization that formed the foundation of the DSA Pathways Initiative creating four Middle School Arts Conservatories for students to begin crafting their artistry early on. You can read more about the program at detroitk12.org/DSAPathways. As one of the District’s application schools, the deadline to apply to DSA for the fall semester is August 31, 2020.
More information on applying to the Detroit School of Arts as well as general information about the school can be found at www.detroitk12.org/schools/dsa.