4 Aldine ISD Students Advance to Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Auction

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With nearly 200,000 students from across Texas submitting artwork, only 90 pieces earn a place on the auction block, making this event one of the most selective and prestigious student art showcases in the state.

This year, four of those 90 premier artists are from Aldine ISD.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ (HLSR) recently recognized 90 student artists from 151 school districts and private schools statewide during its 2026 School Art Program Awards Ceremony. Selection for the School Art Auction gives these students the unique opportunity to have their artwork publicly recognized and auctioned to collectors and supporters, providing visibility and validation at a state level. The auction is scheduled for Sunday, March 15, 2026, at 11 a.m. in the NRG Arena Sales Pavilion.

Among those premier artists are four Aldine ISD students:

Meylin Solozano, 10th grade, Eisenhower High School
Whispers of the Lost Sunset — Lot #88
Keily Iraheta, 12th grade, Nimitz High School
Where Are We Going? — Lot #42
Ángela Hernández, 9th grade, Blanson Career and Technical Education High School
Hold On Tight! — Lot #89
Ta’Mya Holmes, 11th grade, Nimitz High School
Peace in the Pasture — Lot #77

Each of these students earned Best of Show, Gold Medal, or Special Merit a the district level RodeoHouston School Art Contest.

According to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, nearly 4,000 pieces of artwork were submitted to the NRG Center for preliminary judging. From that pool, 796 pieces advanced to a final round of judging, and just 90 were selected to participate in the School Art Auction.

“This is a notable milestone for our visual arts program,” said Kaileigh Newman, Aldine ISD director of visual arts. “It is the first time in the course of my tenure that four Aldine ISD artworks have advanced to the Rodeo auction. Our students’ creativity, technical skill, and storytelling truly stood out among thousands of entries from across Texas.”

The Rodeo’s School Art Program, established in 1965, promotes awareness of agriculture, Western heritage, and Rodeo activities through artistic competition. The winning artwork will be displayed in the Hayloft Gallery, located in the lobby of NRG Center, throughout the 2026 Rodeo.

This achievement is a significant moment for Aldine ISD, which last advanced students to the auction in 2024. The previous high was in 2017–2018, when nine artworks were selected under former director Dr. Michaelann Kelley.

The March 15 auction represents the culmination of months of work for these young artists; being featured at this event signifies that their art has achieved some of the highest recognition available to student artists in Texas. Their pieces will now be viewed — and bid on — by collectors and supporters from across the state.

Their success adds another proud chapter to the #AldineStory, showcasing how student talent, expert instruction, and opportunity come together to create impact beyond the classroom.