Rep. Kelly announces 2023 Congressional Art Competition winners
GREENVILLE, Pa. -- On Saturday, May 20, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) announced the winners of the 2023 Congressional Art Competition during a ceremony at Fresh Grounds Coffeeshop & Cafe in Greenville, Pennsylvania.
Rep. Kelly hosted the winners and their families for a gallery showing and to present the winners with their prizes. The artwork for the winning student from each Congressional district will be displayed in the Cannon House Office Building Tunnel at the U.S. Capitol complex for 11 months.
"I want to congratulate all of this year's winners and to thank everyone who participated in this year's competition," Rep. Kelly said. "We are blessed to have so many talented students across the district. This year's competition highlights the importance of the arts in our schools. I can't wait to see the winning piece of art displayed in the U.S. Capitol!"
Below are the winning selections for Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District:
1st Place: Abigail Gardner, Hickory High School, “My Grandma”
2nd Place: Sasha Zupanchick, Hickory High School, “Rocky Falls”
3rd Place: Katie Dorsey, Hickory High School, “Flaming Flowers”
BACKGROUND
The Congressional Art Competition is an annual contest sponsored by the Congressional Institute to encourage and foster arts and culture among high school students. Each year, House Members may honor one high school student from their districts by selecting a piece of artwork for inclusion in an exhibit at the U.S. Capitol. Millions of visitors to the U.S. Capitol view this exhibit each year.
Prizes include displayed artwork in the Cannon House Office Building Tunnel connecting to the U.S. Capitol for the next 11 months. Southwest Airlines offers each first-place winner two round-trip tickets to attend the reception. The ticketholders must fly into Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), Reagan National Airport (DCA), or Dulles International Airport (IAD). As a Congressional Art District First Place winner, one may be eligible to receive a $3,000 per year scholarship to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), should one apply and be accepted for enrollment. Accepted students may be eligible for additional scholarships based on their academic credentials, documented awards and recognition, extracurricular activities, volunteer or professional experience, and talents.