WCAAD 5 Students Won 2025-26 LA Web Drawing Contest Top Awards

myarteducation
Apr 21
3 min read

Students from West California Academy of Art and Design (WCAAD) won top awards at the 2025-26 LA Web Children’s Drawing Contest. Frederick Zhu won the 1^st Place Award, Brian Liu, Bella Fang and John Lan won the 2^nd Place Award，Janice Wang won the 3^rd Place Award for different age groups respectively. 25 students won the Excellence Award.

The theme for the 2025-26 contest is: Time Tunnel Travel.

1^st Place Award，Frederick Zhu，Age Group 12-13

Frederick Zhu’s winning artwork depicts a man flying into a tunnel where he gets all the buildings and monuments that humans have built over the time we have been on Earth. From the iphone, airplanes, and even the Hollywood sign to castles, villages, pyramids, and volcanoes.

“This drawing took me about 10 hours to draw.” Frederick said, “Some difficulties I faced while drawing this artwork was doing the pencil shadings and overall just drawing the base. I like drawing because it makes me feel relaxed and calm. It also is a great way to kill time.”

LA Web Children’s Drawing Contest, the largest and most prestigious event of its kind for kids ages 3 to 16 years old in California, has been held for 28 years and attracts thousands of children to participate each year.

2^nd Place Award，Brian Liu，Age Group 8-9

2^nd Place Award，Bella Fang，Age Group 6-7

2^nd Place Award，John Lan，Age Group under 5

3^rd Place Award，Janice Wang，Age Group 8-9

"The competition has now been running for 28 years," said Lei Wang, the WCAAD Principal, "It's truly remarkable for an event to last this long, and it deserves a lot of respect. Through participation in this art contest, children gain experience, build confidence through encouragement, and grow with every attempt they make."

Lei added that she has been engaged in art education for over fifty years, and has witnessed countless children who, through early exposure to art and sustained creative practice, have not only gained admission to their dream universities but have also embarked on broader life paths. Some have become designers or artists, while others have entered fields such as technology, finance, architecture, medicine, and law—demonstrating greater creativity and competitiveness across diverse industries. "What art brings them is not just a skill, but a way of thinking, and the ability to engage with the world."

(note：the following are part of the Excellence-award winning artworks)

Excellence Award, Coral Ouyang Age Group10-11

Excellence Award, Harry Chen Age Group 8-9

Excellence Award, Lexi Li Age Group 8-9

Excellence Award, Angela Kostelny Age Group 8-9

Excellence Award, Isabella Liu Age Group 8-9

For every age category, the top three (first-place, second-place and third-place) winners receive a trophy, a certificate, a mounting frame and special gifts. Excellence Award winners receive a trophy and a certificate. All other contestants who are not selected for an award also receive a certificate of recognition.

Excellence Award, Emily Tian 6-7

Excellence Award, Mila Dong 6-7

Excellence Award, Naomi Huang 6-7

"For many children, taking part in a competition and winning an award is just a small moment in their growth," said Lei Wang, "But I would see it as a quietly planted seed—a seed of creativity, expression, and confidence. That seed may one day sprout, and perhaps even influence a child's entire life, guiding them onto a path where they truly love art and stay true to themselves."