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Photo by Theresa Doyle Nelson
May 26, 2026
Inspiring the next generation through educational outreach
Contributed
Bandera Natural History and Art Museum
There’s nothing more exciting than seeing students bring their ideas to life. This year, our educational outreach programs focused on two projects, one of which gave Bandera High School students the chance to explore their creativity, and build new skills through a student art contest, and a University of Texas – Austin Capstone project partnership, which connected classroom learning with real-world experiences. Investing in education and community engagement remains an important part of building a strong future for the Bandera Natural History and Art Museum.
Celebrating Creativity Through Student Art
Our recent student art contest invited young artists from Bandera High School to showcase their talents while expressing their perspectives on natural habitats, sustainability and creativity. Students submitted a wide range of imaginative entries that demonstrated both artistic ability and thoughtful interpretation of the contest theme, “Habitats.”
The contest not only encouraged creative expression, but also gave students the opportunity to gain confidence in presenting their work to a broader audience by exhibiting the pieces in the Juan Carlos Infante International Hall at the Museum. Teachers, families and community members joined together to celebrate the participants and recognize the importance of arts education. The museum would like to thank the volunteer judges who gave their time to evaluate the entries: Bandera High School teachers Luke and Emily Stricker, local Bandera artists Melissa Sutherland and Frances Peterson, and the museum’s Chairman Emeritus, Juan Carlos Infante.
Winning entries were recognized for their originality, creativity and artistic ability. The winners selected by the judges included: First Place – Addison Ashcraft, Second Place – Shae Spofford, Third Place – Gabriel Ovel. Judges also selected four pieces for Honorable Mention created by student artists: Cody Beard, Ryan Bernal, Kaelea Winter and Nancy Herrera. Visitors to the Museum selected their favorite student art work by awarding the People Choice Award in Art to Gabriel Ovel. The enthusiasm and talent displayed by all participants made the event a tremendous success and highlighted the value of supporting young creatives in our community.
Partnering with Universities Through Capstone Projects
In addition to supporting younger students, we also continued our collaboration with university programs through a Capstone project partnership with MBA students: Sebastiaan Schuite, Ishan Kumar, Steve Reiley, Rasheem Asif and Aditya Bajaj, from the University of Texas - Austin. Capstone projects provide college students with the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges while gaining valuable professional experience.
Working alongside mentors at the Bandera Natural History and Art Museum, students researched, designed and presented innovative solutions related to developing a business and marketing plan for the Museum. This project allowed students to strengthen skills in teamwork, project management, research and technical problem solving. The museum is proud to support experiential learning opportunities that help prepare students for success beyond graduation.
Looking Ahead
Educational outreach programs like these reflect the museum’s ongoing commitment to empowering students at every stage of learning. Whether through artistic expression or hands-on academic projects, these initiatives encourage curiosity, creativity and collaboration.
Celebrating Creativity Through Student Art
Our recent student art contest invited young artists from Bandera High School to showcase their talents while expressing their perspectives on natural habitats, sustainability and creativity. Students submitted a wide range of imaginative entries that demonstrated both artistic ability and thoughtful interpretation of the contest theme, “Habitats.”
The contest not only encouraged creative expression, but also gave students the opportunity to gain confidence in presenting their work to a broader audience by exhibiting the pieces in the Juan Carlos Infante International Hall at the Museum. Teachers, families and community members joined together to celebrate the participants and recognize the importance of arts education. The museum would like to thank the volunteer judges who gave their time to evaluate the entries: Bandera High School teachers Luke and Emily Stricker, local Bandera artists Melissa Sutherland and Frances Peterson, and the museum’s Chairman Emeritus, Juan Carlos Infante.
Winning entries were recognized for their originality, creativity and artistic ability. The winners selected by the judges included: First Place – Addison Ashcraft, Second Place – Shae Spofford, Third Place – Gabriel Ovel. Judges also selected four pieces for Honorable Mention created by student artists: Cody Beard, Ryan Bernal, Kaelea Winter and Nancy Herrera. Visitors to the Museum selected their favorite student art work by awarding the People Choice Award in Art to Gabriel Ovel. The enthusiasm and talent displayed by all participants made the event a tremendous success and highlighted the value of supporting young creatives in our community.
Partnering with Universities Through Capstone Projects
In addition to supporting younger students, we also continued our collaboration with university programs through a Capstone project partnership with MBA students: Sebastiaan Schuite, Ishan Kumar, Steve Reiley, Rasheem Asif and Aditya Bajaj, from the University of Texas - Austin. Capstone projects provide college students with the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges while gaining valuable professional experience.
Working alongside mentors at the Bandera Natural History and Art Museum, students researched, designed and presented innovative solutions related to developing a business and marketing plan for the Museum. This project allowed students to strengthen skills in teamwork, project management, research and technical problem solving. The museum is proud to support experiential learning opportunities that help prepare students for success beyond graduation.
Looking Ahead
Educational outreach programs like these reflect the museum’s ongoing commitment to empowering students at every stage of learning. Whether through artistic expression or hands-on academic projects, these initiatives encourage curiosity, creativity and collaboration.