Palo Alto Student Wins $1,000 In International Art Competition

PALO ALTO, CA — A Palo Alto High School student won second place and $1,000 in an international student art competition for a drawing honoring heart surgery pioneer Vivien Thomas.

Iyla Lada, a 10th grader, earned the award for her colored pencil and graphite drawing, “Tendrils of Legacy,” ARTEFFECT announced Oct. 19.

The drawing features tendrils connecting a heart to a mop, referencing Thomas’ early identification as a janitor and the beginnings of his career in medicine, organizers said.

Lada was among 24 student artists selected to receive a combined $24,000 in awards through ARTEFFECT’s first summer competition.

The competition’s “Innovation Generation” theme invited high school students and recently graduated seniors to explore innovators whose inventions, discoveries and research made lasting contributions to society.

Students created paintings, drawings, digital art, mixed media works and sculptures inspired by more than 40 innovators across science, medicine and the arts.

Award recipients represented schools and independent programs in the United States, Canada, Hungary, Lithuania, Mexico and South Korea. Awards included four top honors, six Spotlight Prizes and 14 Certificates of Excellence.

The summer competition accepted submissions from May 15 through Sept. 15, 2026.

ARTEFFECT, a visual arts education initiative founded by philanthropist Lowell Milken, also holds an annual competition. That contest is free to enter and open to students in grades six through 12, with submissions accepted through April 19, 2027.