Peoria, IL— Rep. Darin LaHood (IL-18) this evening hosted an awards ceremony for the participants of the 2016 Congressional Art Competition at the Peoria Downtown Public Library, and bestowed five awards on well-deserving recipients. The Congressional Art Competition is an annual opportunity to showcase the art and talent of the 18th Congressional District, and the volume of submissions and the quality of the artwork represented the talent of the region’s youth.
“My office received 185 art submissions from 144 students. I was truly impressed with the number of young artists we have among our youth, and I am thankful this competition provides the opportunity to recognize and applaud their work. Each submission is meaningful, and these pieces highlight the incredible talent the youth across our District,” stated Rep. LaHood. “Congratulations to six the award recipients, and a big congratulations to our first place winner Elizabeth Grimm, whose piece ‘Emma’ will grace the halls of our nation’s Capitol in DC.”
The individuals who received awards are as follows:
- 1st place (to be hung in the Capitol and awarded two tickets to travel to Washington, DC for the National Art Reception in June) Elizabeth Grimm, Morton High School, “Emma”
- 2nd place (to be hung in Rep. LaHood’s DC office): Kimberly Le, Richwoods High School, “Tranquility”
- 3rd place (to be hung in one of Rep. LaHood’s District offices): Kylee Hendrickson, Tremont High School, “Untitled”
- 4th place (to be hung in one of Rep. LaHood’s District offices): Mymoree Nimmers, Dunlap High School, “Mr. Clandestine”
- 5th place (both pieces tied and will be hung in one of Rep. LaHood’s District offices): Peter Rest, Washington Community High School, “Self Portrait” and Isabelle Rinald, Dunlap High School, “The Eyes Have It.”
The first place winner will have his or her artwork sent to Washington, D.C. where it will be displayed for a year in the national exhibition in the Cannon Tunnel, a pedestrian walkway leading to the United States Capitol. Visitors from Illinois to Washington, D.C. always take the time to admire the wonderful artwork created by Illinois high schoolers. Additionally, two tickets are extended winner to fly to Washington, D.C. for the reception and announcement of the National Winner.
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Congressman Darin LaHood proudly serves the constituents of Illinois’ 18th Congressional District, consisting of more than 710,000 constituents across 19 counties throughout Central and West-Central Illinois. Darin was born and raised in Central Illinois and currently resides in the Peoria area with his wife, Kristen, and their three children.
