Talented student artists across the Socorro Independent School District paid tribute to both the living and the dead at the second annual Día De Los Muertos Showcase on Oct. 29. The event not only highlighted their creativity but also honored the community’s rich cultural traditions.
The districtwide art competition featured 412 entries, celebrating Día De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday that commemorates deceased loved ones and the belief that the spirits of the deceased return to visit the living on Nov. 1 and 2. This year, the showcase collaborated with the Green Hope Project to recognize the winners of the Cricket Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration art contest and La Nube STEAM Discovery Center’s alebrijes exhibit.
Fifth-grader Ian Santiago Chairez-Marquez from Mission Ridge Elementary won first place in the showcase’s elementary school category for his drawing titled “Sunset of the Dead.” The showcase recognized first, second, and third-place winners in the elementary, middle, and high school categories.
Chairez-Marquez’s artwork featured a portrait of a Catrina and a Catrin, a skeletal couple dressed in elegant and colorful clothing.
“What made me want to draw (this), it's like the culture between this holiday and how everyone celebrates their old ones and they (remember) them. And that's what inspired me to do this drawing,” said Chairez-Marquez, whose other drawing titled “Animal Spirit,” depicting a lion with the wings of a peacock, won Cricket's grand prize in the elementary division and a $250 scholarship.
Candace Printz, SISD Fine Arts assistant director and Green Hope Project president, said the holiday was an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate its traditions through art. This was the first time the district collaborated with Cricket Wireless and La Nube to recognize student artists who participated in the Día De Los Muertos Showcase.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Cricket Wireless and the Green Hope Project selected three winners from elementary school, three from middle school, and three from high school, awarding scholarships to each winner.
In addition to the elementary school grand prize winner, the middle school grand prize winner received $400, while the high school grand prize winner was awarded $800. Each finalist also received $50. In total, $1,750 in scholarships was awarded.
“What really kind of opened my eyes is the community support,” Printz said. “So not only (from) the teachers and the students, but (from) the families that are coming out and keeping these traditions alive for the culture that we're in. And so, if you don't pass it on, whether it's a tradition or story, it gets lost.”
Additionally, the Green Hope Project collaborated with La Nube on behalf of SISD to select 25 alebrijes from the showcase for display at the museum until Dec. 5.
Arianni Garzon, a fourth grader at O’Shea Keleher Whole Child Academy, was inspired by the alebrijes, or mystical animals, in the movie “Coco.” Her drawing titled “T-Bone Flames,” depicted a dog with a heart-shaped nose and a yellow and orange wing. Garzon felt good knowing that people would be able to see her drawing at La Nube.
“I love dogs, and my dog’s name is Duke. I love watching ‘Coco,’ so I drew the wing,” Garzon said.
The showcase also featured an altar competition among four high schools, highlighting their creativity and dedication.
The altars, or ofrendas, were decorated with photos and mementos to honor deceased individuals. Eastlake High School won the top prize for their altar, which was dedicated to Mexican children’s television icons Chespirito, El Chapulín Colorado, and El Chavo del Ocho.
Junior Maya Gize Esparza drew each actor’s portrait who she said, “did a lot for the Hispanic community.” She was excited to share her work with others.
“I hope it will inspire me to do more work and give me more confidence to show it off,” Esparza said.
2024 SISD Dia De Los Muertos Showcase winners
High School
1st Place
Jacqueline Vargas
Montwood High School
2nd Place
Ximena Palacios-Cardiel
Americas High School
3rd Place
Alexander Jauregui
Montwood High School
Middle School Division
1st Place
Abigail Ramirez
SSG. Manuel R. Puentes Middle School
2nd Place
Kamila Peña
Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
3rd Place
Bristol Ilgen
SSG. Manuel R. Puentes Middle School
Elementary Division
1st Place
Ian Santiago Chairez-Marquez
Mission Ridge Elementary School
2nd Place
Alanys Hernandez
Escontrias STEAM Academy
3rd Place
Amariah Adame
Sgt. Jose F. Carrasco Elementary School
Altar Design
Best of Show
Eastlake High School
Azul Longoria
Mariana Ponce
Africa Gutierrez-Ponce
Silvana Mijares-Garcia
Camryn Chavez
Melody Rojas
Sophia Galindo
June Ruiz
Kayla Phillips
Santiago Pinon
Sofia Pinon
Uriel Fuentes
Trinity Graves