For decades, Sister Cities International has leveraged the power that art has to transform societies and transcend cultural boundaries through the Young Artists and Authors Showcase, or YAAS. The Showcase has given youth worldwide the opportunity to express their vision for a more unified, peaceful world through original art and literature.

Fort Worth Sister Cities International held the local showcase to choose student pieces to be submitted to the worldwide competition.

We want to give a special thanks to our Young Artists and Authors Chair LA Moncrief and her committee for recruiting judges, securing prize money and creating a judging criteria.

We also want to thank our amazing and talented judges Afton Battle, Rachel DeLira, Hilde Horchler, Sheran Keyton, Hillary Shepheard, and Dawn Taft.

Congratulations to all the artists and authors who were selected and entered into the international competition.

Artists

• 1st Place: Ashley Hernandez, Southwest High School – “Change is Beautiful”
• 2nd Place: Emma Howell, Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts – “Moonflower Hope” 
• 3rd Place: Caya Crum, Paschal High School – “Hope in Future Generations”
• Honorable Mention: Anna Heitz, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School – “Covid 19 and Racism”
• Honorable Mention: Bohumila Jones, I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA – “Growing into Wisdom”

Authors

• 1st Place: Evelyn De Long, I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA – “Shaped by Hope, Shaped by Hatred”

Photographers

• 1st Place: Marissa Heckman, I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA – “Repeat”
• 2nd Place: Juan Contreras, I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA – “Munching Gathering”
• 3rd Place: Rob Lourcey, Paschal High School – “Unity and Peace”

Musicians

• 1st place: Curtis Heedley, I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA – “It’s Easier If We…”
• 2nd Place: Bela Gomez, Nolan Catholic High School – “Close to You”