Harwood senior among 40th annual Congressional Art Competition winners
May 11, 2021 | By Waterbury Roundabout 
The photograph titled “Night Star Trails” by Harwood Union High School senior Morgan Frank of Moretown is a judge’s choice honorable mention winner in the 40th annual Vermont Congressional Art Competition. Courtesy photo.
A Harwood Union High School senior is among the Vermont winners of the 40th annual Congressional Art Competition announced by U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt.
Morgan Frank of Moretown was named winner of a judge’s choice award for a photograph titled “Night Star Trails.”
First place in the competition went to Patient Mwibeleca of Burlington Technical Center for a photograph titled “Selfie Mirror.”
The contest had 160 entries from students representing the state’s high schools. Students worked in a variety of media including photos, computer-generated art, drawings, paintings and mixed media.
The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide high school visual art competition initiated in 1981 by former Vermont Rep. Jim Jeffords to celebrate and encourage the artistic talent of young people from across the country.
High school students submit entries to their representatives and a panel of artists in each congressional district selects the winning pieces that then are displayed for a year in the tunnel between the U.S. Capitol and House office buildings—a route traveled daily by members of Congress, their staffs, and visitors from around the world.
In Vermont, all students who submit an entry are offered automatic admission to the Vermont Governor’s Institute on the Arts, a two-week intensive arts program for Vermont high school students.
“I am amazed by the creativity of talented young artists across Vermont,” Rep. Welch said. “Picking a winner is always difficult because of the brilliant work of so many artists. Congratulations to Patient for his beautiful work. He clearly has a bright future in the arts. I’m looking forward to seeing ‘Selfie Mirror’ in the hallway on my daily walks between my office and the Capitol.”
The judges for the Vermont competition were artists Susan Teare, Vanessa Compton, and Colin Bright. All 160 entries can be seen on Rep. Welch’s website: welch.house.gov/media-center/photo-galleries/2021-art-competition.