A special celebration took place for one Boswell High School student in front of the Fort Worth City Council. Sophomore Parker Hiner was recognized by Mayor Mattie Parker for winning the annual Mayor Mattie Parker High School art competition, open to all high school students in the City of Fort Worth.

“I remember how I first started creating little crayon drawings in my bedroom,” the AP Art student said. “And now it has come to this where a painting of mine will be hanging outside the mayor’s office.”

In front of the city council, along with Fort Works Art gallery owner Lauren Saba and manager Jay Wilkinson, Mayor Parker acknowledged not only Hiner's work, but also the highly respected Boswell art program. 

“To be explicitly recognized and acknowledged by the Mayor of Fort Worth is almost surreal. Mayor Parker’s congratulatory words are pivotal simply because they boost the morale and the entrepreneurial ambitions of talented young artists like Parker Hiner," said Dj Perera, Hiner's AP Art teacher. "This reflects the quality of award-winning instruction that myself and my dear art colleagues Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Theodore, and Ms. Kinney deliver at Boswell High School, and most importantly, it reaffirms EMS ISD’s commitment to fostering a culture of excellence.”

Hiner's winning artwork will be displayed outside Mayor Parker’s office for the next year. We are #EMSproud of Parker Hiner and our world class visual arts educators at Boswell High School for this recognition.