Sergio Rangel, 2008 Award Winner…

Sergio Rangel accepts the Danny Wood “Heart in Art” Award at the 2008 Awards Ceremony, along with his guardians, Victor and Shannon Raygoza.

The 9th annual Danny Wood “Heart In Art” award was presented to Sergio Rangel of Pasadena Memorial HS. Sergio was presented a trophy and a check for $1,000 during the annual Awards Ceremony on Thursday, November 20th, 2008. What follows is from the presentation speech by Lyn Fitzpatrick…

“Culture Shapers is not just an art contest. Culture Shapers is about people and their stories. I’d like to read you a story tonight.

Once upon a time, a little boy named Sergio was part of a loving family who served as missionaries to those in need.  Almost every weekend, the family would travel to places guaranteed to bring tears to even the hardest of hearts.

The recipients of the family’s selfless love was an village of indigent people living in impoverished conditions.  No sewage system, no running water.  They dwelled in hand-made shacks of scrap cardboard and tin.

How do people live like this?” thought Sergio, as he offered them food and provisions.  This young boy had witnessed the unimaginable, but in the process, had acquired an invaluable gift.  The seed of compassion had been planted deeply in his young heart.  It would bear very good fruit.

When Sergio turned 16, he came home from school one afternoon to the sounds of sobbing from another room. There he found his mother face down, crying uncontrollably.  It took a while to decipher the words that slowly made their way through her racking sobs, but it was clear that Sergio’s father had left them and was not coming back.

This can’t happen to my family,” thought Sergio, as a barrage of thoughts bombarded his mind.  But his mother’s sobbing continued day after day, after day, and Sergio’s father did not return.

How sad it is when a young man learns the hard way that life is not perfect, that adversity is no respecter of persons, and that bad things happen to very good people… to the innocent… to the blameless.

Yet life goes on.  Despite all efforts to provide, Sergio’s mother, depressed and despondent, could not pay the mortgage, and the two soon found themselves without a place to live.

Eventually, a friend offered his mother a place to stay, while Sergio alternated between friends, assuring his mother he was okay.  Alas, even the most gracious guest outstays his welcome, and Sergio resorted to sleeping in the back yard of his repossessed home.  As he huddled and shivered in the cold night air, reality set in.  Unbeknownst to anyone, our young Sergio, age 16, was homeless. 

Alone and lost, his love for art and his desire to maintain good grades became things of the past.  Nothing mattered anymore.

Statistics prove that a homeless youth will find himself or herself receiving protection and provision from undesirable sources.  The streets are laden with those who would happily take advantage of the helpless. 

But that was not an option for our Sergio.  He would sleep in his back yard, but he would go to school, attend church, and he would once again stand strong for what he believed to be right and unshakably true.

In fact, Sergio joined a church service project, and helped build a house for a homeless family.  The homeless, building a home for the homeless?  Some call that ironic.  God calls it love. 

First impressions are often more influential than we realize.  And so it was with the first person that spoke to Sergio, as he started his new school in the Fall. 

“I thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world,” Sergio said.  “But it wasn’t the outward appearance I saw.  It was her inner person that motivated me to paint her.”

A short time later, Sergio entered his piece in an amazing art contest named Culture Shapers, where he ranked in the top ten out of 111 entries in the painting category.  To his lovely subject, it should be said, “Kind words, fitly spoken… who can measure their weight?”

School became a safe place, a place of escape for Sergio.  His Art teachers affirmed his gift and encouraged its development, so Sergio stayed late into the evening, drawing, painting, designing, creating.  The time flew.  Passion rekindled.  Purpose reborn. But still no place to call home.

Sergio became the President of the Art club in his school, spending hours upon hours helping other art students, rallying them, affirming them, applauding them.

“I am compelled to help others,” said Sergio.  “I simply cannot see someone in need and pretend it doesn’t exist.”

The seed of compassion, planted in the heart of a little boy who selflessly loved a village of grateful indigents, was now in full bloom. Perhaps the notion of “Do unto others” is still alive and well.
The end of Sergio’s story (at least to date), is more akin to a fairytale than a biography.

His art teacher, Mr. Victor Raygoza, discovered the secret reason for Sergio’s late night lingerings at the school.  The young man had nowhere else to go.

With this information now in the open, Mr. Raygoza and his wife, Shannon, could simply not ignore the need. The question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” demanded an answer.

Today, Sergio lives as a happy and grateful member of the Victor and Shannon Raygoza family. “I have no words for what I feel for this couple,” said Sergio. ”They saw something in me I couldn’t see in myself. They teach me, encourage me, care for me, and believe in me.  They are my role models and the biggest influences in my life.  I was so lost,” he says with emotion, “but thanks to them, I’ve been found. Now my greatest goal is to help others the way I have been helped.” The end of our story?  Well of course: “And they lived happily ever after.”

Will you welcome and celebrate with me the Culture Shapers Heart In Art Award winner, and the recipient of $1000, Sergio Rangel and his guardians, Victor and Shannon Raygoza?”

Besides being the recipient of the “Heart in Art” award, Sergio also won 9th Place in the Painting category, receiving a total of $1,250 in cash prizes.

Previous Recipients of the Danny Wood “Heart in Art” Award…

About the Danny Wood “Heart In Art” Award

With every contest, Culture Shapers honors one very special student with the Danny Wood “Heart in Art” Award. The award carries the name of a dear friend of the Culture Shapers organization, Danny Wood, who passed away on April 1, 1999.

Danny was an extremely generous man who touched the lives of anyone who came into contact with him. He was passionate about impacting our city in a positive way, and he was continually looking for ways to serve others. Whether donating materials and time to construct a coffee shop for his church, or demonstrating excellence through his business dealings, Danny was a model to us all… truly a Culture Shaper!

In like fashion, the recipients of this prestigious award, nominated by their teachers and peers, exhibit the following character traits…

Know someone who you think should be considered for the Danny Wood “Heart in Art” Award? Click here to email us their story and why you think they should receive this award!