PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: March 9, 2007
Contact: Abigail Shilling (202) 225-6365

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman(VA-04) invites all interested high school students to participate in “An Artistic Discovery,” the 2007 Congressional Arts Competition.

“This competition is not only an excellent way to showcase the talent of our students, but to highlight the importance of fine arts curriculum in our schools,” Forbes said. “Each year, I am consistently amazed at the artistic talent of our nation’s youth. I’m looking forward to seeing this year’s submissions.

Since 1982, the Congressional Arts Competition has offered high school students from across the nation the opportunity to exhibit their artwork in the United States Capitol. Over the years, nearly 5,000 local contests have been conducted, which have involved more than 650,000 high school students. Last year’s winner from Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District was Miss Megan Shank, a 10th grade student at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, with her colored pencil and watercolor submission, “Morning Piers.”

The winning entries are displayed each year in the Cannon Tunnel, a prominent thoroughfare on Capitol Hill, tread by numerous visitors and members of Congress to the U.S. Capitol. The winner from the Fourth District will also be invited to Washington to meet Congressman Forbes and attend the annual unveiling ceremony in June.

Guidelines and information packets are being sent to all high school guidance and art departments in the Fourth Congressional District. Students wishing to participate must submit their artwork no later than Tuesday, May 1, 2007. All entries should be sent to: Congressman J. Randy Forbes, Attn: Ms. Joan Fallon, 2903 Boulevard, Suite B, Colonial Heights, VA 23834.

Interested students may visit Congressman Forbes’ Student Resources website at http://randyforbes.house.gov for official guidelines. They may also contact David Hawxhurst in Congressman Forbes’ Washington D.C. office at (202) 225-6365 for more information.

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