U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan has announced the winners of the 2018 High School Congressional Art Competition, a district-wide showcase for young artists. The Ringling Museum Ulla R. Searing Curator of Collections Curator Sarah Cartwright, the Keith D. and Linda L. Monda Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Ola Wlusek, and the Ringling Museum Manager of Design and Production Libby Bennette judged the entries. This year there were 41 students who participated in Florida’s 16th District contest. The full list of winners from Florida’s 16th District include: First Place – Hayley Wahl’s “Cicada Study,” Out-of-Door Academy in Lakewood Ranch; Second Place – Virgilio Lopez’s “Life Lessons,” Lakewood Ranch Middle School in Lakewood Ranch; Third Place – Cole Chalhub’s “Albert Einstein,” Out-of-Door Academy in Lakewood Ranch; Honorable Mention – Harley Haas’s “Before She Writes,” Sarasota High School; and The “Facebook Fan Favorite” Award – Kyla Rudd’s “Self Portrait,” Lakewood Ranch High School. The winning entry will be showcased for one year in the highly traveled corridor between the U.S. Capitol and the Cannon House Office Building. The Out-of-Door Academy student will receive roundtrip airfare to Washington from Southwest Airlines to attend the Congressional Reception in June. The second and third place winners’ art work, as well as the honorable mentions’ submissions, will remain on display in the Johnson-Blalock Education Center at the Ringling Museum for two months.

2018 High School Congressional Art Competition