More than a dozen students from area schools were named as award winners during the city’s annual Holiday Banner Artists Awards Ceremony Friday evening.
The event, now in its 29th year, occurred just prior to the lighting ceremony for the city’s official holiday tree at Francis Stevens Park. It was presided over by Main Street Palm Springs President Joy Brown Meredith, who took time to note that it was not only Palm Springs school children who contributed designs for holiday banners that will hang Downtown.
“I think it’s beautiful when some of the schools who want to participate in the beautification of Downtown Palm Springs aren’t even form Palm Springs,” she said, adding that more than a dozen schools from throughout the area had students who participated.
In total, 50 designs were chosen from the submissions to hang Downtown this holiday season. Award winners, and their categories, are as follows:
- Best Downtown Palm Springs theme: Ashley Garcia and Tessa Vasquez
- Best Palm Springs wildlife theme: Jazlyn Munoz and Silvanita Garcia
- Best Desert theme: Kiara Urbina
- Best Palm Springs murals theme: Andrea Frisque
- Best palm trees theme: Angelina Morales and Carolina Anaya Flores
- Best Palm Springs Santa theme: Becky Fernandez, Sam Bastin, and Dulee Castro
- Best Palm Springs modern theme: Mai Garcia
- Best peace on Earth theme: Marco Buelna
- Most aspiring artist: Jayden Hong
Students whose banner designs were chosen include:
- Harmony Graciano
- Jordan Porras de la Roca
- Davette Esparza
- Zedek Reynoso
- Keeley McCartney
- Jayden Hong
- Becky Fernandez
- Lilliana Raine Gonzales
- Silvanita Garcia
- Steven Liu
- Scarlett Otteson
- Paris Silva
- Giana Strebe
- Cierra Carr
- Alexa Ulloa
- Susana Lovell
- Paula Paz
- Alissa Steinberg
- Rylie Conway
- Jazmine Munoz
- Evelyn Sandoval
- Ashley Garcia
- Ruby Fernandez
- Kimberly M Torres
- Lesly Munoz
- Citlali Perez
- Esther Lopez
- Sam Bastin
- Tessa Vasquez
- Marco Buelna
- Hanqiu Zhong
- Mai Garcia
- Harliana Otto
- Sarah Garibay
- Yesira Villa
- Evelyn Castillo Campos
- Meiztli Perez
- Angelica Sandez
- Dulee Castro
- Ruth Adams
- Andrea Frisque
- Lily Jones
- Fatima Medero
- Leanna Quinero
- Angelina Morales
- Carolina Anaya Flores
- Emily Mendez
- Jazlyn Munoz
- Lizbeth Diaz
- Kiara Urbina
The schools submitting entries were: Palm Springs High School, Mount San Jacinto High School, Desert Hot Springs High School, Cathedral City High School, Nellie Coffman Middle School, Bobby Duke Middle School, Raymond Cree Middle School, Katherine Finchy School, Cielo Vista Charter School, Desert Chapel School, Kings School, Vista Del Monte School and Bella Vista School.
About 100 banners, created by the students are displayed each holiday season. More than 50 new and original designs are added to the collection each year.
This year’s hand painted banners feature “Winter Holidays…Palm Springs Style” with special emphasis on Palm Springs landmarks. The program is sponsored by Main Street Palm Springs, Crystal Fantasy, and the City of Palm Springs.
