Three High School Girls Take the Prizes at Congressional Art Competition

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that Alexandra Adams, a junior at the Maret School, has won the District of Columbia Congressional Art Competition with her charcoal drawing, which will hang in the United States Capitol building for one year, along with the winning pieces chosen from other congressional districts nationwide. The first place winner also received a partial scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia, and a $300 scholarship from the D.C. Congressional Art Competition. The second place winner was Sara Sellers, a senior at Georgetown Day School, for her photograph, which will be on display in the Congresswoman's district offices. She received a summer scholarship to the Corcoran College of Art + Design Pre-College program and a $200 scholarship from the D.C. Congressional Art Competition. Third place was Cindy Portillo, a senior at Capital City Public Charter School, for her mixed media on paper, which will also be on display in the Congresswoman's congressional district offices. She received an internship at National Journal Magazine and a $100 scholarship from the D.C. Congressional Art Competition. Every student who attended last night's ceremony received tickets to a Washington Nationals baseball game, art supplies donated by Utrecht, and educational materials and other giveaways from the Smithsonian.

The winners were announced at a reception of students, parents, and teachers yesterday evening at Ronald Regan National Airport. After the awards ceremony, Norton cut the ribbon to an exhibit that will display artwork in terminals B and C baggage claim of Reagan National Airport through July 31, 2013, from 100 D.C. students who participated in the competition.

"I appreciated all the more the work of the jurors and our 18-member volunteer Congressional Art Competition committee when I saw the 100 works that also went on display last evening at the Airport," said Norton. "Our students in D.C. are doing professional quality artwork that should give their families, schools and teachers great pride."

A panel of distinguished artists reviewed the entries from the District, and chose the winners of the students in grades eight through 12, representing 14 public, charter, private and religious schools, based on technique, creativity, aesthetics, originality, artistic merit, and visual impact. Pamela Harris Lawton, Director of Education Studies at the Corcoran College of Art + Design, was lead juror on the panel, and was joined by Dr. Tony M. McEachern, interim chair of the department of art and associate professor at Howard University, and nationally acclaimed artist Gabriela Lujan.

Norton said that last night was a "festival of the arts," because besides the students' works, Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists from the Washington National Opera performed and acclaimed photographer Jeffrey Milstein, currently on exhibit at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, spoke.

Published: May 17, 2013