{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7409", "Rep. Estes Announces 2026 Congressional Art Competition Winners", "2026-04-14", "2026", "2026-04", "Republican", "House", "KS", "Ron Estes", "E000298", "estes.house.gov", "estes", "https://estes.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx?DocumentTypeID=27", "scraper", "The office of Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) announced the winners of this year's Congressional Art Competition Saturday, April 10, during a reception and awards program at Mark Arts in Wichita. Each year, the U.S. House of Representatives hosts a nationwide competition for talented high school students. Competitions take place in each congressional district with each winner having their artwork on display in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., for about one year, in addition to other prizes. Because of his support for young artists in the 4th Congressional District of Kansas, Congressman Ron Estes also hosts an art exhibit in the district to display and celebrate the talent of all of the participants. This year, the competition contains 214 pieces of art from 170 students representing 18 different high schools in five different counties.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a yearly highlight to witness the incredible talent and passion that Kansas\u2019 young artists bring to their work,\u201d said Rep. Estes of this year's art show and reception. \u201cI\u2019m excited to see Melian\u2019s pastel drawing in the Capitol complex and appreciate all the students, faculty and family who participated and encouraged the students in this year\u2019s competition.\u201d\n\nThe winner Melian Miller, a Wichita High School East student, received a cash prize courtesy of Marc and Erin Mason. Second and third place winners also received cash prizes courtesy of Craig and Dalene Nelson. Nine other students received Honorable mentions, and six students were named best in their medium.\n\nWinners were chosen by a jury of local artists and community leaders \u2013 Tarah Clark, painter; Jim Clements, painter; and Steve Rasmussen, photographer. We thank them for their time, talent and commitment to art in south central Kansas.\n\nYou may view the artwork and learn more at estes.house.gov/art.\n\n2026 Congressional Art Competition \u2013 Final Results\n\n1st Place \u2013 Melian Miller, \u201cThe Thing With Feathers,\u201d Pastel, Wichita High School East\n\n2nd Place \u2013 Macy Mitchell, \u201cFresh Picked Cherries,\u201d Colored Pencil, Berean Academy\n\n3rd Place \u2013 Samuel Pletcher, \u201cWipe Out,\u201d Watercolor, Central Christian Academy\n\nBest in Category:\n\nComputer-generated Art \u2013 Ashley Swingler, \u201cMusical Sunflower,\u201d Belle Plaine High School\n\nPhotography \u2013 Reghan Eck, \u201cBet On Black,\u201d Wichita Collegiate High School\n\nMixed Media \u2013 Jayden Dexter, \u201cLa Famille,\u201d Maize High School\n\nColored Pencil \u2013 Macy Mitchell, \u201cFresh Picked Cherries,\u201d Berean Academy\n\nWatercolor \u2013 Samuel Pletcher, \u201cWipe Out,\u201d Central Christian Academy\n\nPastel \u2013 Melian Miller, \u201cFrom Me to You,\u201d Wichita High School East\n\nHonorable Mentions:\n\nZoe Mclntrye, \u201cWhat Even Is True?,\u201d Belle Plaine High School\n\nCharlie Ling, \u201cConcrete Jungle,\u201d Wichita Collegiate High School\n\nCortevion Buckles, \u201cFeel Again,\u201d Wichita Heights High School\n\nAdam Garcia, \u201cSakura in the wind,\u201d Attica High School\n\nAshley Carpenter, \u201cTiger,\u201d Central Christian Academy\n\nNorah Bouhouch, \u201cThe Lioness,\u201d Wichita Northeast Magnet High School\n\nPhung Dinh, \u201cBlooming,\u201d Wichita High School East\n\nSyssy Bailon, \u201cInternal Sin,\u201d Wichita Heights High School\n\nEmme Strickland, \u201cHydrodynamic,\u201d Wichita Collegiate High School\n\n###", 1, "2026-04-15T05:46:42Z", "2026-04-15T05:48:27Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://estes.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7409"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0287100449204445, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}