A menacing-looking storm was just about the only unwelcoming sight at Planet Ford Stadium’s Randall Reed Center on Tuesday night, May 16, as hundreds of Spring ISD community members hurried inside to see the district’s 2023 Springfest Art Exhibit.

There, family members toured through rows of student-created paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures. The district’s Alumni Jazz Band and a quintet from the School for International Studies at Bammel performed throughout the evening.

Dr. Joe Clark, director of performing and visual arts at Spring ISD, presented awards to the student artists. He said that he takes special pride in all of the 22,000 students who are involved in the PVA program districtwide. About 650 students were selected to exhibit their work at the Reed Center, and Clark emphasized the creativity and the wide diversity of art projects that the students created for the show.

“All of the campuses have a choice of doing 2D or 3D art projects, and we had some incredible pre-K work all the way through photography, and 3D work like sculptures from some of our top seniors going on to visual arts schools,” Clark said.

At the end of the evening, 20 of the students were called to the front to receive recognition for their work. Andrew Tello from Springwoods Village Middle School won Best of Show for the category of Seventh Grade 2D Art with his colorful drawing of a rooster entitled “Brain Games.”

“I think it’s really cool that they make an event for kids who draw anything that they want for this art show. I think it’s really cool, I love this opportunity,” Tello said.

As Andrew checked out his award of brand-new art supplies, his mother, Roxana Trevino, thanked her son’s Springwoods Village Middle School Visual Arts teacher, Cecilia Ruiz.

“She is so dedicated; she has been working hard with seventh graders. As you can imagine, it’s very hard work, and mostly because she continues to inspire. I appreciate all that she has done,” Trevino said.

Clark said that inspiring students is a huge part of what Springfest is all about.

“This event gets them to see beyond what they think is possible,” Clark said. “At home in their own little studio it’s just them, but when they come here and see their artwork displayed next to others and they see some of the talent in this showcase, they get to dream and they think about that next step that they could take in their lives. It’s exciting to see those lightbulbs come on.”

This is the second year for Springfest. The district’s Spring Art Show has been held annually for more than 15 years.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Springfest Best in Show Awards:

• Lorenzo Rodriguez, Pre-K, Meyer Elementary School - 2D
• Lucas Largacha, Kindergarten, Beneke Elementary School - 2D
• Aliyah Alvarez, 1st Grade, Salyers Elementary School - 2D
• Mark Zarate, 2nd Grade, Booker Elementary School - 2D
• Mar’sha Thompson, 3rd Grade, Salyers Elementary School - 2D
• Jayleen Nerio, 4th Grade, Beneke Elementary School - 2D
• Evadny Plata, 5th Grade, Beneke Elementary School - 2D
• Mileyka Molina, 5th Grade, Beneke Elementary School - 3D

• Gabriel Monterroso, 6th Grade, Twin Creeks Middle School - 2D
• Andrew Tello, 7th Grade, Springwoods Village Middle School - 2D
• Lia Mairena, 8th Grade, Springwoods Village Middle School - 2D
• Flor Palma, 8th Grade, Roberson Middle School - Photography
• Juan Chavez, 8th Grade, Claughton Middle School - Electronic
• Zakk Medrano, 8th Grade, Roberson Middle School - 3D

• Olivia Sanchez, 9th Grade, Carl Wunsche Sr. High School - Art 1 (Tie)
• Francisco Rodriguez, 10th Grade, Dekaney High School - Art 1 (Tie)
• Kensi Soler, 11th Grade, Dekaney High School - Drawing
• Kayla Vincent, 11th Grade, Dekaney High School - Painting
• Jessica Ly, 11th Grade, Westfield High School - 3D
• Marcus Harden, 11th Grade, Westfield High School - Photo/Electronic Media
• Carrie Schoech, 12th Grade, Spring Early College Academy - Photo/Electronic Media
• Matthew Davis, 12th Grade, Spring High School - Mixed Media

Source: Spring ISD

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