Ysleta ISD students and educators are starting the school year with their display cases already sparkling with new accolades. They've made a clean sweep of major Texas awards in theatre, art, and music this summer, firmly planting the district as a lead player in the fine arts educational field.
July was a standout month for Ysleta ISD's Theatre Arts department, which garnered the Exemplary District honor in the Award of Distinction program from the Texas Educational Theatre Association (TxETA). Recognized for a litany of accomplishments, including the quality and quantity of theatrical performances, an impressive play library, and active student involvement in UIL contests, the district has set a high bar for theatre education statewide. Details shared by Ysleta ISD illustrate the commitment to arts education.
In the visual arts arena, Ysleta has not stepped back. As one of 109 districts named a 2025 District of Distinction by the Texas Art Education Association, it stands tall in the top 8% for its Visual Arts program. For two consecutive years now, this achievement underscores the district's role in fostering environments where the creative process is heavily nurtured and where connection to community, peers, and self is paramount.
But the wins don't stop there. Ysleta ISD has also been honored with several other awards over the past year, including the Best Communities for Music Education from the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation, and marked as a Premier Community for Theatre Education. In individual accolades, this district's student, Zoe Martinez, clinched the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for District 16, with her piece "From the Roof I See Home," now gracing the halls of the U.S. Capitol. Not to be left out, Hanks High School’s Mariachi Los Trovadores brought home Division I Superior ratings at the UIL State Mariachi Festival championships, as noted by Ysleta ISD.
