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Adopt-A-School Annual Art & Essay Contest Winners Announced


Denton ISD’s Adopt-A-School program recently honored this year’s district winners in the annual Adopt-A-School Art and Essay Contest. This year’s awards presentation was announced in partnership with the Denton Black Film Festival on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at the Greater Denton Arts Council (GDAC). 

The evening featured the recognitions of the top-three fourth- and fifth-grade district finalists in three categories: art, monolingual essay and bilingual essay.

All first-place winners received a book including their artwork and essays. That book can also be found in all Denton ISD elementary campuses.

Fourth- and fifth-grade students were challenged to create essays and artwork for the contest regarding this year’s theme, “Resilience.” For the art contest, students were tasked with designing a super character at their school that never gives up. For the essay contest, students were prompted to write about a time in school where they showed resilience and did not give up. 

All elementary campuses are invited to participate, and from submitted entries, each school chooses the top three essays and works of art in fourth and fifth grade.

The top three from each school then advance to the district level contest, where district partners volunteer to judge the contest and select the top three essays and works of art for each grade level.

Visit the Art & Essay website to view the book and pictures. 

The district winners included:

Fourth-Grade Art
First place: Rosalie Alford, Shultz Elementary
Second place: Lilah Stephenson, Adkins Elementary
Third place: Aria Wagemann, Houston Elementary

Fourth-Grade English Essay
First place: Avery Marshall, McNair Elementary 
Second place: Sarah Otchere, Evers Park Elementary 
Third place: Cayne Lake, Pecan Creek Elementary 

Fourth-Grade Bilingual Essay
Tie first place: Gloria Gaytan, Alexander Elementary; Camilia Dominguez, W.S. Ryan Elementary  
Second place: Sophia Nevarez, Shultz Elementary 
Third place: Brittany Espinoza, McNair Elementary 

Fifth-Grade Art
First place: Mridula Maradihalli, Sandbrock Ranch Elementary 
Second place: Emma Collins, Blanton Elementary 
Third place: Olivia Thurman, Newton Rayzor Elementary 

Fifth-Grade English Essay
First place: Ingrid Breit, Borman Elementary 
Second place: Madison Lewis, E.P. Rayzor Elementary 
Third place: Brooklyn Cerruti, W.S. Ryan Elementary 

Fifth-Grade Art
First place: Mridula Maradihalli, Sandbrock Ranch Elementary 
Second place: Emma Collins, Blanton Elementary 
Third place: Olivia Thurman, Newton Rayzor Elementary 

Fifth-Grade English Essay
First place: Ingrid Breit, Borman Elementary 
Second place: Madison Lewis, E.P. Rayzor Elementary 
Third place: Brooklyn Cerruti, W.S. Ryan Elementary 

Fourth-Grade Bilingual Essay, First Place
Audrey Jamaica, Hodge Elementary
Brittany Espinoza, McNair Elementary
Camila Dominguez, W.S. Ryan Elementary
Carolyne Quiroga, Evers Park Elementary
Emily Matute, Rivera Elementary
Gloria Gaytan, Alexander Elementary
Hannah Perez, Borman Ele
Sophia Nevarez, Shultz Elementary

Fourth-Grade Essay, First Place
Aaliyah Whitlock, Stephens Elementary
Abraham Altamirano, Borman Elementary
Aryan Rejeev, Adkins Elementary
Aubrielle Grasseschi, E.P. Rayzor Elementary
Avery Marshall, McNair Elementary
Camille Cronk, Paloma Creek Elementary
Cayne Lake, Pecan Creek Elementary
Collins Hatcher, Martinez Elementary 
Elizabeth Vu, Rivera Elementary
Emmitt Schulz, Savannah Elementary
Finnley Hodgkiss, Shultz Elementary
Isabella Cinta, Hodge Elementary
Jacie Parkin, Bell Elementary
Jaelynn Ortiz, Cross Oaks Elementary 
Jason Back, Hawk Elementary
Jordyn Duplessis, Alexander Elementary
Kennedy Dotson, Nelson Elementary
Kristina Clark, Providence Elementary
Minha Tanzeel, Houston Elementary
Myla McFarling, Newton Rayzor Elementary
Paxton Coil, Blanton Elementary
Samayah Irven, Union Park Elementary
Sarah Otchere, Evers Park Elementary
Silvia Mendoza, W.S. Ryan Elementary

Fifth-Grade Art, First Place
Abigail Roberts, Hawk Elementary
Angel Roman, Hodge Elementary
Ariadne Hall, W.S. Ryan Elementary
Brianna Barth, Paloma Creek Elementary
Charlotte Trebus, McNair Elementary
Cylas Scaggs, Evers Park Elementary
David Paz Ponce, Borman Elementary
Emma Collins. Blanton Elementary
Hannah Nezafati, Adkins Elementary
Harper Welch, Houston Elementary
Jackson Sanchez, Rivera Elementary
Jaxon Sims, Bell Elementary
Justin Carney, Shultz Elementary 
Kaylee Driver, Cross Oaks Elementary
Levi Pfullmann, Pecan Creek Elementary
Madison Wellard, Savannah Elementary 
Marko Hansen, Stephens Elementary 
Michael Suarez-Villareal, Nelson Elementary
Mridula Maradihalli, Sandbrock Ranch Elementary 
Olivia Thurman, Newton Rayzor Elementary
Riley Robinson, Providence Elementary
Samuel Tetteh, Ginnings Elementary
Serenity Lacey, Martinez Elementary
Tenley Strong, E.P. Rayzor Elementary
Viviana Taylor, Alexander Elementary
Zoe- Savannah Elimian, Union Park Elementary

Fifth-Grade Bilingual Essay, First Place
Alexa Perez Estrada, W.S. Ryan Elementary
Angel Chali, Rivera Elementary
Ellen Gonzalez Artiles, McNair Elementary
Isaac Cardenas, Evers Park Elementary
Jason Roman-Acevedo, Shultz Elementary
Julia Gregorio Ramirez, Hodge Elementary
Margaret López Galeas, Borman Elementary
Oscar Antonio, Pecan Creek Elementary
Paz Sanchez-Ramirez, Alexander Elementary

Fifth-Grade Essay, First Place
Abigail Flores, Martinez Elementary
Andi Russell, Savannah Elementary
Brandon Lynch, Providence Elementary 
Brenda Hoeinghaus, Newton Rayzor Elementary 
Brooklyn Cerruti, W.S. Ryan Elementary
Brynnleigh Matthews, Pecan Creek Elementary
Carter Nguyen, Paloma Creek Elementary
Charlotte Aydelott, Hawk Elementary
Elaine Yule, Adkins Elementary
Etta Hepker, Shultz Elementary
Faarisah Alamgir, Nelson Elementary
Harper Phillips, McNair Elementary
Ingrid Breit, Borman Elementary
Jade Davis, Union Park Elementary
Jordan Alexander, Rivera Elementary
London Sease, Hodge Elementary
Lucciana Sanabria Munoz, Houston Elementary
Madison Lewis, E.P. Rayzor Elementary
Marcos Cruz Vázquez, Evers Park Elementary
Payton Thompson, Blanton Elementary
Riley Wilson, Bell Elementary 
Rowan McCollum, Stephens Elementary
Vanessa Flores, Alexander Elementary