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In 2012, Humanities Texas sent a set of President’s Vision posters to each accredited secondary school and public library in the state. During the 2013–2014 academic year, we held a contest for students to design their own President’s Vision posters.

Students were asked to develop posters that identify the “vision” of a U.S. president and use explanatory text and primary sources to illustrate how the president pursued his vision during his term(s).

The project provided students the opportunity not only to expand their knowledge of U.S. history, but also to develop their critical thinking, research, writing, presentation, and media design skills. Students could select any U.S. president and present their own interpretation of that president's vision.

Humanities Texas received 152 poster submissions representing a total of twenty-seven different presidents. Humanities Texas staff, along with three expert judges, evaluated the posters based on historical accuracy, critical thinking, and visual appeal.

The judges included Dr. Michael Les Benedict, emeritus professor of history at The Ohio State University, Heather Pesanti, senior curator at The Contemporary Austin, and award-winning classroom teacher Jim Furgeson.

We are pleased to announce the winners of the Humanities Texas inaugural President’s Vision poster contest. A slideshow of the winning posters can be viewed below.

2013–14 Poster Contest Winners

Middle School Category (grades 6–8)

First place
Lucille Lopez and Abby Richter, Burkburnett Middle School, Burkburnett
Fabiola Murillo, Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, Dallas
Lydia Moss, Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, Dallas

Second place
Jordan Masters, Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, Dallas
Tyler Hudgins and Travis Sturm, Vidor Junior High School, Vidor

Third place
Cierra Olivarez and Kenzie Daniell, South Belton Middle School, Belton
Hasnat Ahmad, Central Junior High School, Euless
Vincent Post and Parker Prudhome, Vidor Junior High School, Vidor
Samuel Snyder, Blake Stogner, and Tanner Woodrum, Celina Middle School, Celina
Sara Hessami, Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, Dallas

High School Category (grades 9–12)

First place
Katrina Shi, Ronald Reagan High School, San Antonio
Megan Myers and Sarah Mavad, Mayde Creek High School, Houston
Jesus Chavez, Dr. Leo G. Cigarroa High School, Laredo

Second place
Akrama Khan, Mayde Creek High School, Houston
Fatema Shipchandler, Mayde Creek High School, Houston

Third place
Matthew Schuldt, Maggie Zhang, and Brandon Shang, West Brook High School, Beaumont
Christopher Holmes, Kingwood Park High School, Kingwood
Ivana Soto, Danielle Celaya-Alvarez, and Paul Mead, Kingwood Park High School, Kingwood
Patrick McCarthy, Kingwood Park High School, Kingwood
Sophia Carrico, Mayde Creek High School, Houston

Make Your Own Poster Activity

In this activity, students research,
design, and create their own President's Vision poster in either hard copy or digital format.

Dr. Leo G. Cigarroa High School student Jesus Chavez (holding poster) with (from left to right) Assistant Principal Armando Molina, Jesus's mother, Superintendent A. Marcus Nelson, and Texas A&M International University President and Humanities Texas board member Ray M. Keck III.
Mayde Creek High School AP history teacher Penny Rosas and her students (from left to right) Akrama Kahn, Sophia Carrico, Sarah Mavad, Megan Myers, and Fatema Shipchandler.
(From left to right) Burkburnett Middle School teacher Travis Copus, students Lucille Lopez and Abby Richter, and Humanities Texas Program Officer Sheena Moore.
Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School teacher Emily Schick (Farr), students (from left to right) Sara Hessami, Lydia Moss, Fabiola Murillo, and Jordan Masters, and Principal Vivian Taylor.