As an extension of the No Place for Hate® program, the Houston Rockets and ADL teamed-up to develop the “No Place for Hate® – Express Yourself Challenge”, a competition for NPFH participating schools. The Challenge encouraged students to either create a 2-3-minute video, poetry, or submit a photo of their still art such as paintings, drawings, collages, or photography depicting the No Place for Hate® message of inclusivity, respect, and equity.

This year, there were 97 submissions from No Place for Hate schools, and First Place winners received a certificate, tickets to a Rockets game, and Rockets paraphernalia.

The Rockets and ADL, to protect the students’ security, did not include the students’ last names in the announcement of who won.  Here are the winners:

Aida A. of McNamara Elementary School in the Houston Independent School District won First Place in Visual Arts for fourth-and-fifth-graders.  Victoria L. of B.F. Terry High School in the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District won first place in Visual Arts grades 6-12.

In the Performing Arts Category, Grades 4-5, Nkylen S., Muna I., Trenton B., and Daniel R. of Settlers Way Elementary School in the Fort Bend Independent School District won First Place. A large group of students from Fort Settlement Middle School in the Fort Bend Independent School District won First Place for Performing Arts, Grades 6-12: Riba B., May M., Adwita M., Morgan M., Maliha P., Aiza R., Bailey S., and Nicole Y.

In the Spoken Word category, Delilah S. of Winship Elementary School in the Spring Independent School District won First Place for Grades 4-5, and Tanner B. and Param P. of Woodcreek Middle School in the Humble ISD won First Place for Spoken Word, Grades 6-12.