July 17, 2025
WALNUT, CA - Two Walnut Valley USD students have received a special recognition in the 2025 ARTEFFECT International Competition, standing out among thousands of international entries. ARTEFFECT, an initiative of the Lowell Milken Family Foundation and Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes (LMC), awards talented young artists a total of $37,250 in prize money across multiple categories, including education, civil rights, innovation, healthcare, STEAM, and wartime history. For the past 10 years, this free international competition has invited students in grades 6-12 to explore the stories of LMC Unsung Heroes that made a positive impact in history. 34 winners were selected in the middle and high school divisions, 2 being from our very own Walnut Valley USD.
Fuhan (Lila) Xue, an 8th grade student from Chaparral Middle School, won the $2,000 Middle School Best-in-Show award for her digital artwork titled “Breaking the Chains by Brushstroke (Hero: Oscar Howe).” Xue’s artwork reimagined Oscar Howe’s famous photo, showcasing a seated man holding a paintbrush around chains and a colorful watercolor background. In the artist’s impact statement, Xue wrote she “wanted to capture Oscar Howe’s artistic energy and his fight for the change of prejudice and stereotypes.”
The second Walnut Valley USD student to receive a $750 certificate of excellence was Betty Zhu, a 10th grade student from Walnut High School. Zhu’s piece was titled “Echoes Beneath the Roots (Hero: Irena Sendler)” and depicted a large tree with growing roots and a woman seated near the tree. In her impact statement, Zhu wrote that her piece “symbolizes that spiritual roots will always be connected to this world and never forgotten even when they need to perish and forge onward in shouldered defiance.”
Both WVUSD students demonstrated creativity and we are proud of their ability to use art as a storytelling tool. Walnut Valley USD students are encouraged to participate in the ARTEFFECT 2026 competition. Submissions will be accepted beginning in October 2025. Learn more by visiting the ARTEFFECT website for more information.
About Walnut Valley Unified School District
Walnut Valley Unified School District (WVUSD) schools have earned recognition for academic excellence from both the California State Department of Education and the United States Department of Education. Many WVUSD schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon, California Gold Ribbon, and California Distinguished Schools. Several WVUSD schools were featured in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best School Rankings. To learn more about WVUSD, please visit WVUSD.org. Connect with WVUSD on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Contact
Michelle Figueroa, Public Information Specialist
Office: 909-595-1261, Ext. 31204
Shown:
“Breaking the Chains by Brushstroke” (Hero: Oscar Howe)
By: Fuhan Xue, Grade 8, Chaparral Middle School
Diamond Bar, CA
“Echoes Beneath the Rocks” (Hero: Irena Sendler)
By: Betty Zhu, Grade 10, Walnut High School
Walnut, CA