McNeil has many artistically talented students and recently one of them achieved a notable accomplishment. Junior Alyna Pham’s designs progressed to state level in the costume design UIL competition.

“Alyna’s designs were selected to go to state because she had a clear and creative concept which was executed well,” costume design teacher Erin Pena said. “She is also an extraordinary artist who’s talent is obvious.”

Pham was the only McNeil student to enter the competition this year, but students have gone to state before for costume design and have placed at the state level many times. Pham’s designs for three characters from the musical Cats could impress the judges.

Each year students who compete in the costume design UIL competition must design for the selected play and meet certain criteria in their designs.

“The students who are entered in the competition must have a design concept and must draw and paint their designs,” Pena said. “They must also pick fabric swatches and attach them to the designs.”

Also included in their designs, students must have inspiration from an artist and explain their inspiration in an essay. Pham’s artist inspiration was Muncha.

“He (Muncha) has a lot of nature-like designs and fluid motion which show a lot of higher perspectives,” Pham said.

Pham’s designs for the Cats characters Alonso, Victoria and Bombalurina had creative twists to them that made them stand out.

“Alyna came up with the idea to create flowers and incorporate them into the designs,” Pena said. “She cut out flower stencils and placed the fabric under them. The petals of all the flowers in the designs are actually fabric.”

Pham is confident that her designs will do well in the competition.

“My ideas were creative and well thought out,” Pham said. “My idea translated correctly. I believe they will be perceived well. I’m confident enough to think they will stand out to the judges with a creative perspective. That was why they were selected.”