Lady Dixie Bowen Inducted in Brentwood High School Hall of Fame

Lady Dixie Bowen was among six inductees into the Brentwood High School Hall of Fame Class of 2016, that took place on Friday, September 16, 2016, at Brentwood Missouri. She was nominated by Brentwood Alumni Association for being an exemplary alumna of the school. Lady Dixie just recently arrived from her trip back to her hometown to receive the recognition.

She graduated from Brentwood High School, Brentwood Missouri in 1970, and her early travels on a scuba diving trip to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize resulted in Dixie Bowen falling in love with the island that she now calls her home. In 1995 her dream of building a private school on the island for local children became a reality.

The Island Academy opened with a student body of 36, including Dixie’s daughter Courtney, and today, with Dixie as principal, has approximately 75 students from all over the world. In July 2008, Dixie’s husband, Barry Bowen, a sixth generation Belizean and entrepreneur, was knighted by the Queen of England for contributions to the country of Belize. Dixie was bestowed the title of Lady Bowen.

Dixie credits Brentwood High School as the foundation for her success. The guidance and enthusiasm provided by the faculty and staff in her young live always stayed with her. Today, at the Island Academy, she continues to apply the principles and disciples of those formative years with her entire student body.

“It goes without saying that it is an honor to be inducted into the Brentwood High School Hall of Fame,” stated Lady Dixie in her address. “BHS meant so much to so many of us. My experience began almost exactly 50 years ago when my father was transferred to St. Louis. I was fortunate to be entering as a Freshman and to experience 4 wonderful years at BHS…The care and attention that trickled down from the Principal and Vice Principal, to the teachers, the cafeteria staff, janitors, PE teachers and everyone has helped me in my journey with my small school in Belize…So, the gentleness and kindness with the discipline and structure that was displayed and portrayed to me at BHS, in my very instrumental teenage years has filtered down into a small tight knit school in the Caribbean; grades Kindergarten~8th…I am very proud to have been a student at Brentwood High, to have had such great friends that still are part of my life today and to have been honored with many awards here.”

Brentwood High School selects outstanding inductees that must have graduated or attended the school for a significant part of their education. They have achieved distinction in a particular area including, but not limited to, academics, athletics, business, community service, science, medicine, military service, public service, visual arts or performing arts. Like Lady Dixie, inductees must have demonstrated good character and citizenship.