Schakowsky Announces Winners of 2022 Congressional Artistic Discovery Competition

EVANSTON - Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky announced the winners of the Illinois 9th Congressional District's 2022 "An Artistic Discovery" Congressional Art Competition, naming students who won 1st place overall and in several categories. This annual competition, sponsored by the Congressional Institute, invites young artists from around the nation to compose and submit visual art to their member of Congress. The winner of the competition will be invited to a ceremony in at the Capitol in Washington, DC, where all the winners from around the country will be recognized. The winning piece from each District is then hung in the Cannon Tunnel, which lawmakers, staff, and tourists alike pass each day as they move between the House Office Buildings and the U.S. Capitol.

This year, Congresswoman Schakowsky's office received thirty submissions from students representing ten local high schools. Each young artist who participated had their work displayed at the Skokie Public Library for several weeks and will be posted on Congresswoman Schakowsky's website. The artwork was reviewed by educators and artists from Columbia College.

"I want to thank all the teachers and parents who helped get the word out about this year's Congressional Art Competition, our first in-person competition since the start of the pandemic. I want to congratulate each of the students who took the time to create and submit artwork for this year's competition. I always look forward to seeing the creativity local students will bring to this annual event, and the submissions this year were very impressive," said Congresswoman Schakowsky. "It gives me great pride to see all of this year's submissions, as each piece demonstrated immense talent, creativity, and dedicated work. I would especially like to recognize this year's winner, June Ahleman, and the winners of each of the categories, for their distinguished work. I'd also like to thank the Skokie Public Library for the wonderful display they created of all the pieces and for hosting the awards ceremony."

The following students are hereby recognized as winners of the 2022 Congressional Art Competition for the 9th Congressional District of Illinois:

FIRST PLACE

June Ahleman - "Laughing Woman"

The Chicago Waldorf School

BEST PAINTING

Leyla Jha - "Merry Christmas 2014"

Evanston Township High School

BEST DRAWING

Tyler Hwang - "Isolated Reflection"

New Trier High School

BEST PRINT

Nwadioqo Emechebe - "Captured Flight"

Sullivan High School

BEST MIXED MEDIA

Zuha Ansari - "The Captured Fall"

Niles North High School

BEST COMPUTER-GENERATED

Rintaro Kishi - "Hope-After the Rain"

New Trier High School

BEST PHOTOGRAPHY

Chloe Rybacki - "Meaningful Objects"

Niles North High School

BEST SOCIAL JUSTICE PIECE

Evelyn Herbert - "Freedom of Speech"

Niles West High School

The following schools participated in the competition this year:

Sullivan High School
New Trier High School
Niles West High School
Niles North High School
Evanston Township High School
Acero de la cruz
Senn High School
Chicago Waldorf School
Ida Crown Jewish Academy
British International School of Chicago

###