AUSTIN, Texas --Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. is proud to announce Yolanda Xiong of Flower Mound, Texas as the Grand Prize Winner of the 29th Annual Treasures of the Texas Coast Children’s Art Contest. Xiong is a 6th grade student at at the Color Panda Art Academy/Longhui Art and her winning artwork features a dolphin jumping out of the water wearing a Texas-themed Cowboy hat next to an aircraft carrier.
“As Land Commissioner and a former coastal resident, it has been a privilege to see the wonderful artwork submitted by Texas students through the Annual Treasures of the Texas Coast Children’s Art Contest,” said Commissioner Buckingham. “Each year, I'm blown away by the creativity shown by these students illustrating the many aspects of what makes our Texas Coastline unique. It truly warms my heart to see how protecting and caring for our coast is valued and appreciated by younger generations of Texans.”
Commissioner Buckingham proudly shows off the winning entry for the 29th Annual Treasures of the Texas Coast Children's Art Contest.
Xiong will receive one 6–8-night Caribbean cruise for two courtesy of Royal Caribbean International in addition to the prizes listed below for all winners. Xiong's teacher will also receive one 6-8-night Caribbean cruise for two from Royal Caribbean International, along with a prize from Adopt-A-Beach.
All 40 winners will receive two free day passes to Schlitterbahn, a gift card to an art supply store, a gift from Texas Adopt-A-Beach, a certificate of recognition from the Texas General Land Office, and copies of the 2026 calendar showcasing the winning artwork. The Grand Prize Runner-Up will receive an additional prize from Adopt-A-Beach. Students in the Honorable Mention category will be given a certificate of appreciation from the GLO and a gift from Adopt-A-Beach.
The GLO would like to thank our Art Contest sponsors, Royal Caribbean International and Schlitterbahn, for donating these amazing prizes to our creative Texas students.
A comprehensive list of all contest winners and digital copies of the winning artwork can be found by clicking the button below:
Art Contest Winners & Image Gallery of Winners
The Treasures of the Texas Coast Children’s Art Contest is held annually by the Texas General Land Office’s Adopt-A-Beach program—a volunteer-based program dedicated to preserving and protecting Texas beaches. To learn more about the program and for upcoming events, visit TexasAdoptABeach.org.
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