2021 Congressional Art Award Winners
The Maine Arts Commission is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Congressional Art Competition:
This year's top finishers by district include:
1st District: Winner: Elwen Benard of Baxter Academy. First Runner Up: Fiona Jason of Baxter Academy, Second Runner Up: Kaitlyn Sawicki of Freeport High School. Honorable Mention: Della Huntley of Baxter Academy. Honorable Mention: Alexis Milem of Thornton Academy. Honorable Mention: Kaylee Demers of Falmouth High School.
2nd District: Winner: Whitney Perkins. First Runner Up: Sophia Carson of Edward Little High School, Second Runner Up: Ella Shaffer of Rangeley Lakes Regional School. Honorable Mention: Lexi Bachelder. Rangeley Lakes Regional School. Honorable Mention: Ruoxuan Zhang of Lee Academy, Honorable Mention: Addaline Hemmingway of Rangeley Lakes Regional School.
The Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition every year to recognize and encourage artistic talent in each congressional district. Since this competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated, according to the U.S. House of Representatives website.
Both first place students will have their artwork on display at the U.S. Capitol for one year and will be offered respective scholarships to attend Maine College of Art in Portland. All recognized artwork will be on exhibit at the Maine State House in Augusta during the spring of 2020.
DISTRICT ONE |
DISTRICT TWO |
WINNERPassport Photo by Elwen BernardGrade 12, Baxter AcademyArt Teacher: Matthew Barnes |
WINNERCurious by Whitney PerkinsGrade 10, Lewiston High School Art Teacher: Sarah Stocker |
1ST RUNNER UPHeadspace by Fiona JasonGrade 9, Baxter AcademyArt Teacher: Matthew Barnes |
1ST RUNNER UPIdle Hands by Sophia CarsonGrade 12, Edward Little High SchoolArt Teacher: Diana Carson |
2ND RUNNER UPDon and Gunner by Kaitlyn SawickiGrade 12, Freeport High SchoolArt Teacher: Kimberly Medsker-Mehalic |
2ND RUNNER UPLilly by Ella ShafferGrade 11, Rangeley Lakes Regional SchoolArt Teacher: Sonja Johnson |
HONORABLE MENTIONIn a Fog by Della HuntleyGrade 12, Baxter AcademyArt Teacher: Matthew Barnes |
HONORABLE MENTIONJust a girl by Lexi BachelderGrade 11, Rangeley Lakes Regional SchoolArt Teacher: Sonja Johnson |
HONORABLE MENTIONI Can't Breathe by Alexis MilemGrade 11, Thornton AcademyArt Teacher: Jodi Thomas |
HONORABLE MENTIONFreedom by Ruoxaun ZhangGrade 12, Lee AcademyArt Teacher: Adrian Lanfranchi |
HONORABLE MENTIONClimate Change: How Much Longer Can We Hang On To Our Burning Home? by Kaylee DemersGrade 11, Falmouth High SchoolArt Teacher: Nancy Goldstone |
HONORABLE MENTIONBlue by Addaline HemmingwayGrade 10, Rangeley Lakes Regional SchoolArt Teacher: Sonja Johnson |
About the Congressional Art Awards
The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for Members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 700,000 high school students have competed for the honor of having their work shown in the U.S. Capitol.
The competition is open to all high school students. The overall winner of each participating district will have the opportunity to have their work displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for the entire year, beginning in June. In addition, winners will be flown to Washington, D.C. for the official opening of the show in June.
The Maine Arts Commission partners with the Maine College of Art (MECA) and the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards to select the artwork. Artwork that MECA has invited to exhibit for the annual Maine Regional Scholastic Art Awards are automatically submitted to be juried for the Congressional Art Competition.
For information about the Congressional Art Competition please contact Julie Horn of the Maine Arts Commission, at vog.eniam@nroh.eiluj or 207-287-2790.