(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT – Oct. 21, 2026) — Two El Paso ISD middle school students earned recognition in Congresswoman Veronica Escobar’s 2026 Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest, sharing their perspectives on the culture and traditions that help shape life in the Borderland.

Aarav Niraula, a student at Wiggs Middle School, earned first place in the contest, while Josefina Villegas of Hornedo Middle School received an honorable mention. Both students were recognized during an Oct. 14 reception and awards ceremony hosted by Escobar for nearly 150 middle school students who participated in the competition.

The annual contest invites students in grades six through eight across Texas’ 16th Congressional District to reflect on Hispanic heritage and the influence of growing up in El Paso. This year’s prompt asked students to consider what Hispanic culture means to them and how living in El Paso has shaped their perspective.

“It was wonderful to be joined by so many of the participants and winners of my Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Competition,” Escobar said in a news release. “I started this contest in the hope that we could come together to celebrate and uplift the voices of the next generation of great writers in our community.”

Escobar added that the ceremony was a celebration of the community’s heritage and culture and an opportunity to recognize talented young people.

For El Paso ISD, the recognition highlights the accomplishments of students who are using their writing to engage with the history, identity and cultural experiences of their community.