Spring Branch ISD Featured News

 

Students from across Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) demonstrated artistic achievement in this year’s Texas Art Education Association (TAEA) visual arts contests, with accolades spanning all grade levels—from elementary to high school.

SBISD students earned a total of 104 top ratings and 11 state-level medals in the TEAM, Junior VASE, and VASE competitions.

This performance underscores SBISD’s commitment to arts education and our ongoing recognition as a District of Distinction by TAEA—a title earned multiple times thanks to the excellence of our students and teachers. These programs help support the development of T-2-4 Ready Graduates, equipping students with creativity, communication, and critical-thinking skills essential for success.

104 Total Top-Rated Artworks | 11 State-Level Medals | 20 Campuses Represented

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Elementary – Texas Elementary Art Meet (TEAM)

Out of 6,396 submissions statewide, only 533 received a Top of TEAM medal. SBISD submitted 88 entries, with 80 students earning the highest possible rating of 4. Impressively, 7 students earned the prestigious Top of TEAM honor, spotlighting SBISD’s youngest artists as standouts at the state level.

Top of TEAM Medalists:

• Kate Buckingham, Rummel Creek Elementary – Bouquet of Love
• Clark Camarillo, Bunker Hill Elementary – Self-Portrait
• Lucie Diedrich, Nottingham Elementary – Woven Water Scales
• Marilyn Kessler, Nottingham Elementary – Spring Stitches
• Eleanor Limbacher, Rummel Creek Elementary – Family Time
• Giulia Morre, Nottingham Elementary – Spring Blossom Surprise
• Kate Shochat, Bunker Hill Elementary – Outcast Duckling

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Middle School – Junior Visual Arts Scholastic Event (JRVASE)

SBISD submitted 41 entries to the 2025 Junior VASE competition, with 15 students earning the highest possible rating of 4. Across Texas, more than 14,000 middle school students entered the contest, and while no SBISD entries earned the rare Platinum Medal this year, the strong showing of high scores reflects the district’s deep bench of emerging talent.

Top Rating Recipients:

• Sloane Anderson, Cornerstone Academy – Beauty and Thorns
• Sophia Bishop, Spring Forest Middle School – Gummy Bear Ramage
• Claire Brendel, Cornerstone Academy – Reflection of Life
• Mustafa Elhag, Cornerstone Academy – Twilight Path
• Mickey Early, Spring Forest Middle School – Send in the Clowns
• Morgan Huber, Cornerstone Academy – Loss of Innocence
• Noah Ledford, Cornerstone Academy – Whistling Greens
• Evelyn Mankarious, Cornerstone Academy – It’s Not Wrong
• Maddie McClung, Spring Forest Middle School – A New Perspective
• Aubrey Morales, Cornerstone Academy – Sole of a Champion
• Nadia Ozturk, Spring Forest Middle School – Floating Paradise
• Emmy Oubre, Spring Forest Middle School – Fun Shapes and Colors!
• Paula Reyes, Cornerstone Academy – The Heart’s Window
• Reaves Schulte, Spring Forest Middle School – I Feel Like I’m Fading
• Jolie Ulloa, Northbrook Middle School – And There Were Twice As Many Stars

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High School – Visual Arts Scholastic Event (VASE)

At the high school level, SBISD submitted 14 artworks to the TAEA State Visual Arts Scholastic Event. Of these, 9 entries earned the top rating of 4, and 4 students received the prestigious Gold Seal Award—the highest honor given in the state. Out of tens of thousands of entries across Texas, only 164 Gold Seal recipients were selected.

Gold Seal Winners:

• Ingrid Gallop, Stratford High School – Silent Witness
• Catherine Kerns, Stratford High School – Blossom
• Lewis Roman, Stratford High School – Urban Citadel
• Kassia Kexin Tan, Memorial High School – Sunny Side Up

State 4 Rating Recipients:

• Paulina Ausucua
• Natalie Soy Bae
• David Kim
• Catherine Kerns
• Julia Morley
• Lucy Nogueira
• Kaitlynn Tai
• Kassia Kexin Tan
• Rachel Won

Students were judged not only on their finished artwork, but also on how well they planned, reflected, and explained their creative process—skills that connect directly to the Core Characteristics of a T-2-4 Ready Graduate. From telling stories through art to speaking about their work in interviews, students built confidence in collaboration, communication, and critical thinking.

With award-winning fine arts programs across all grade levels, SBISD continues to demonstrate the strength of our curriculum, the dedication of our educators, and the incredible talent found throughout our schools and community.

To learn more about TAEA contests, visit: TAEA VASE Overview

Together, we are preparing Every Child for the future — academically, creatively, and artistically.

VIEW PRESENTATION OF WINNERS HERE.