Students Show Off San Antonio Pride, Artistic Talent In Custom Shoe Contest

Students from two San Antonio high schools are receiving national attention for their artistic talents and their love of the city.

Edison High School and East Central High School are among the 50 finalists in Vans’ Custom Culture shoe design competition. Student artists from around the country were asked to design a pair of Vans based on the themes Hometown Pride and Head in the Clouds.

“The first thing when I hear San Antonio, I think of Fiesta. We’re known for that," Roger Zamarripa Jr. told MySA.com.

Zamarripa is an Edison student and the creative mind behind a pair of colorful, hand-painted Vans showing the Alamo and Paseo del Rio. He came up with the idea when he was stuck at home during the February show storms.

He shared photos of his creation on Facebook, and they've been a hit.

“It’s just so awesome to see how San Antonio is like a big family and that we can all express culture together,” Zamarripa said.

The other pair created by three Edison students includes a 3-D hand in the middle of a black shoe holding a plate of pan dulce and a food truck with white smoke coming out of a small chimney.

East Central students also went with 3-D models. Their "Head in the Clouds" submission includes legs emerging from a cloud while their second submission is a pair of shoes connected by a fiberglass bridge with a river barge passing underneath.

All of the shoes can be seen at customculture.vans.com. Fans can vote for their favorites everyday until May 7. The winning school will receive $50,000 for its art program while runner ups will receive $15,000.

Photo: Courtesy of Roger Zamarripa Jr.