recognitions

CREATIVE KIDS RECOGNIZED BY OPEN HEARtS FOUNDATION

Creative Kids was recognized on a national stage at the 2026 Open Hearts “Healing Arts Gala” held at the private Malibu estate of actress and philanthropist Jane Seymour. During this prestigious event, our founders, Andrea and Stephen Ingle, were presented with the Open Hearts Award in recognition of their tireless dedication to using the arts as a vehicle for healing and resilience within the El Paso community. The evening served as a profound tribute to the transformative power of creativity, featuring a dedicated visual art installation that showcased the moving works created by our students in the aftermath of the 2019 El Paso mass shooting. Open Hearts Foundation initially presented Creative Kids with a $25,000 grant, which was further bolstered by an unexpected and deeply generous $15,000 personal gift from Ms. Seymour herself. Being celebrated reinforces our belief that the arts provide a vital bridge through life’s most difficult moments, and we remain more committed than ever to empowering our youth through the incredible power of the creative process.

42nd Annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards

Oscar, Yolanda & Adrian Cisneros (El Paso): 2026 Volunteer Family of the Year Award
After losing their young son Alex to cancer, the Cisneros family transformed their grief into service. Inspired by the joy Alex found in Creative Kids’ hospital art program, Yolanda, Oscar, and Adrian started volunteering weekly with Project RAP, supporting children affected by trauma in El Paso. For the last 18 years, through patient guidance and creative expression, they have helped young people process fear, rebuild confidence, and experience moments of healing. Their presence offers comfort drawn from lived experience, and every child they support carries forward Alex’s spirit. The family’s compassion has become a powerful source of hope.

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Change Maker Award

Creative Kids Executive Director and Co-Founder - Andrea Gates-Ingle was honored as a 2026 Progress 321 ChangeMaker for spending three decades leading our nationally recognized creative youth development program and championing the power of the arts.

She has dedicated her career to building a sanctuary for youth across the El Paso and Southern New Mexico region. Under her leadership, Creative Kids provides vital creative healing for pediatric oncology patients, under-resourced and incarcerated youth, as well as families navigating the aftermath of the August 3rd tragedy.

Creative Kids Garners National Attention

First Lady Michelle Obama presented Creative Kids with the President’s Committee National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, the nation’s highest honor for out-of-school arts and humanities programming. The award recognized Project AIM (Arts in Medicine), a specialized visual arts program serving pediatric oncology patients at Providence Children’s Hospital.

Held in the prestigious East Room of the White House, the ceremony featured opening remarks from Danayshiya Pritchard, a participant in the Creative Kids AIM program.