2026 Student Poster Contest Winner

Meet Sara Villarrial, BPSTIL Graphic Arts Student from Haughton High School and the 2026 Student Poster Contest Winner!

The Highland Area Partnership conducted the official poster design contest for juniors and seniors in Caddo, Bossier, and Desoto Parishes. This year, the organization received 26 submissions from across all three parishes. The submissions were juried by local artists and cultural bearers with the winner chosen solely on the artwork. The artist chosen is Sara Villarrial, BPSTIL Graphic Arts Student from Haughton High School. "Sara is an amazing student who consistently goes above and beyond in everything she does. Not only does she work incredibly hard and excel in every project she takes on, but she also collaborates well with others and has built meaningful friendships with students from other high schools. She has a strong work ethic, encourages her peers to do their best, and brings a positive energy into the classroom,” said Kyle Hadley, BPSTIL Graphic Arts Teacher. “I have been especially impressed by her artistic ability and her willingness to adapt to different art styles and creative challenges. She approaches each project with thoughtfulness and creativity, and she always follows through with strong execution. She’s the kind of student every teacher hopes to have in their classroom. Her poster artwork was especially impressive in the way everything came together so cohesively. Throughout the process, we created mood boards and had several brainstorming conversations to help develop the overall direction and flow of the piece. The colors and elements she chose worked beautifully together, resulting in a truly unique and visually striking composition. I couldn’t be more proud of the work she created, and I’m so glad she had the opportunity to be part of this experience.”

The Highland Area Partnership presented Villarrial with $500.00 for her work on the official poster.