AACI has announced the winners of the 2026 Growing Up in America contest, celebrating youth creativity and expression across the Bay Area.
The Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI) has revealed the winners of the 2026 Growing Up in America (GUA) youth art, essay, and video contest. This annual competition, which has been uplifting young voices for over 30 years, aims to promote creative expression among students in the Bay Area.
In partnership with NBC Bay Area, the Growing Up in America contest invites K–12 students to share their personal stories and perspectives through original creative works. Each year, the contest provides a platform for youth to reflect on their identity, culture, and lived experiences within a diverse community.
This year’s theme, “Growing Healthy Connections,” attracted over 370 entries from students across eight Bay Area counties. Participants came from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, including the Indian and South Asian diaspora, as well as communities such as Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Latino, White, Filipino, Black, Taiwanese, Burmese, Egyptian, and Pacific Islander.
Students submitted artworks, essays, and videos that explored the meaning of healthy connections and how supportive relationships contribute to their learning, growth, and sense of value. Feedback from participants indicated that 99.5 percent reported increased confidence in self-expression, underscoring the contest’s positive impact on youth development.
The program aims to create a dedicated space for the region’s diverse youth to process their experiences through a creative lens. Sarita Kohli, AACI President and CEO, emphasized the importance of the contest, stating, “Each year, the Growing Up in America contest gives us a glimpse into how our youth see the world. This year’s theme, ‘Growing Healthy Connections,’ highlights how important it is for young people to feel supported by others and by themselves. Their creativity reminds us that strong relationships help youth grow, build confidence, and feel valued. It’s inspiring to see their voices come through so clearly, and we’re proud to support a space where they can express themselves.”
Bay Area students were recognized with the Lance Lew Grand Prize, Best in Class, and Honorable Mention awards for their contributions in art, writing, and video. The Grand Prize and Best in Class winners received monetary prizes in recognition of their outstanding work. The names of the award recipients and their winning entries can be found on the AACI website.
The Lance Lew Grand Prize was awarded to Justin Tha for his essay titled “A Cantaloupe and A Connection,” while the Best in Class winners included:
Elise Chang for “A Place at the Table” (Grades 9–12, Art),
Vera Ou for “The Bridge” (Grades 6–8, Art),
Liwon Lim for “Rowing Together” (Grades 3–5, Art),
Chelsea Pan for “Growing a Healthy Connection Tree with Love” (Grades K–2, Art),
Genevieve Yuen for “The Lazy Susan” (Grades 9–12, Essay),
Khai Vo for “Ba Ngoai–the best grandma and the Food Warrior” (Grades 3–5, Essay),
Shaurya Dave for “Bridges of Mud and Magic” (Grades K–2, Essay),
Anya Gote for “Love in my Life” (Grades 9–12, Video), and
Kelly Teng for “Forget Me Not” (Grades 6–8, Video).
Honorable Mention awards were given to:
Yuri Seo for “Between Two Worlds” (Grades 9–12, Art),
Rebecca Guo for “One Hot Pot, Many Connections” (Grades 6–8, Art),
Levi Liu for “My Teammate” (Grades 3–5, Art),
Andrew Zhang for “Connecting Hands, Building Peace” (Grades K–2, Art),
Natalie Tha for “The Living Jar” (Grades 9–12, Essay),
Hieu Vo for “Ba Ngoai” (Grades 6–8, Essay),
Jayson Kim for “The Chicken Soup Restaurant” (Grades 3–5, Essay),
Jonathan Feng for “My Big Bridge from a Monster School” (Grades K–2, Essay),
Johana Tran for “The Connections That Stay” (Grades 9–12, Video), and
Clarissa Cuento for “Connections Bring Us Together” (Grades 6–8, Video).
The contest received generous support from sponsors and community partners, including CSAA Insurance Group, Valley Water, California Bank & Trust, the San Francisco 49ers Charitable Giving Program, Lance Lew, the Farrington Historical Foundation, CreaTV, Nichi Bei News, KTSF 26, the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), and India Currents. A portion of the contest’s prize money was funded by the Equality in Domestic Violence Prevention & Services Grant Program through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
Founded in 1973, AACI serves individuals and families with cultural humility, sensitivity, and respect, advocating for marginalized and ethnic communities in Santa Clara County. The organization’s mission is to strengthen the resilience and hope of diverse community members by improving their health and well-being. AACI’s programs include behavioral health, primary care, dental services, and community advocacy, among others. For more information, visit www.aaci.org.
According to a press release from AACI, the contest continues to foster creativity and connection among the youth of the Bay Area.