Seventeen students named district winners of HLSR School Art Competition

The lobby of HISD’s Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center was transformed into a beautiful art gallery for the district’s second annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) Art Reception on Thursday night, showcasing over 200 student works of art. 

During the evening, seven student artists were honored as 2020 district winners for the HLSR School Art Competition. The winners, who range from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, were awarded in the categories of Best of Show and Gold Medal. 

Recipients of the Best of Show award received a trophy, Gold Medal winners received medals, and all will go on to compete in the next level of the contest. All artwork submitted is eligible for auction. 

Some students will receive invitations to the Glassel School of Art and Western Art Academy, and seniors who competed at the district level are eligible to apply for a scholarship through the HLSR School Arts Committee. 

Every January, schools participating in the HLSR School Art Contest host district-level competitions. This year, the HISD Rodeo School Art Contest Committee judged a record 1000 pieces of student artwork from 131 campuses across the district. 

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Program host competitions in public independent school districts and private schools within the city of Houston. Each year, more than 200,000 students in grades pre-K through 12 participate in the program, which showcases the culture, history, and heritage of the West. 

Best of Show: 

  • Durva Patel, Furr High School 
    Teacher: Ray Pocquette 
  • Janice Liang, DeBakey High School 
    Teacher: Neda Khan 
  • Eva Woodman, Pershing Middle School 
    Teacher: Stephanie Perugini 
  • Ria Andavarapu, Bush Elementary School 
    Teacher: Dr. Linda Buza 

Gold Medal Award: 

  • Brooklyn Spencer, Lamar High School 
    Teacher: Benjamin Stiles 
  • Ronia Washington, DeBakey High School 
    Teacher: Neda Khan 
  • Priscilla Leyva, Furr High School 
    Teacher: Ray Pocquette 
  • Jocelyn Ajucum, Meyerland PVA Middle School 
    Teacher: Christina Gonzalez 
  • Claire Chen, River Oaks Academy  
    Teacher: Melisa Walsh 

Special Merit:  

  • Ernesto Torres, Sharpstown High School  
    Teacher: Guadalupe Hernandez  
  • Jovanna Morales, Milby High School  
    Teacher: Andrew Suire Jr.  
  • Noah Gutierrez, Furr High School  
    Teacher: Ray Pocquette  
  • Jimmi Lopez, Scarborough High School  
    Teacher: Nicole Svoronos 
  • Maren Duffy, Heights High School   
    Teacher: Deisy Guevara  
  • Samantha Garcia, Sam Houston MSTC High School  
    Teacher: Wendy Bejarano  
  • Samantha Garcia, Milby High School  
    Teacher: Andrew Suire Jr.  
  • Roselyn Ovalle, South Early College High School  
    Teacher: Hector Garcia