Pearland ISD students achieved significant results at this year’s Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Auction, with 13 students generating a combined total of $543,000 in artwork sales.
The outcome comes during a record-setting year for the rodeo’s student art program. Out of more than 200,000 entries submitted across the region, only 90 pieces advanced to the final auction. Pearland ISD students accounted for nearly 15 percent of those selections.
The highest sale among Pearland students came from Leah Hong of Dawson High School, whose piece, “Class Champion,” sold for $100,000. Other top sales included Iris Wu of Pearland Junior High West, whose artwork sold for $86,000, and Adalyn Simpson of Massey Ranch Elementary, whose piece sold for $80,000.
Additional Dawson High School students contributed several high-value sales. Ian Chiang earned $50,000, while Yu Wang sold a piece for $32,000. Other Dawson artists included Laura Bunta with $22,000, and Grace Ji and Emerson Ji, whose works sold for $20,000 and $22,000, respectively.
At Turner High School, Adalyn Hoang sold a piece for $25,000, and Adison Throssel earned $30,000. Pearland High School student Lana Royal contributed a sale of $31,000.
Students from junior high campuses also saw strong results. Christy Zheng of Berry Miller Junior High sold her artwork for $27,000, while Cathy Gu of Pearland Junior High West earned $18,000.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Program is one of the largest student art competitions in the country, culminating in an auction where selected works are purchased by collectors and supporters. Proceeds from the auction contribute to scholarship programs and educational initiatives.
District officials said the results reflect the strength of Pearland ISD’s fine arts programs and the level of competition required to reach the auction stage.
