WASHINGTON - Congressman Steny Hoyer (D, MD) congratulated Jen Spann today as the winner of the 5th Congressional District High School Congressional Arts Competition. Spann visited the Capitol today to meet with Congressman Hoyer and she participated in events on Capitol Hill to recognize the talented young artists who won similar competitions in other Congressional districts. Jen Spann, 17, just completed her junior year at Northern High School.
"I am very proud of Jen, an outstanding and talented individual," said Congressman Hoyer. "We are fortunate to have a gifted and promising artist like Jen in the 5th Congressional District of Maryland. In fact, all 6 of the young people who entered this competition were extremely talented, and I hope they are as proud of their work as I am. The judges had a very difficult time selecting a single winner from all the entrants."
The Congressional Arts Competition provides Members of Congress with the opportunity to showcase the artistic talent of high school students within their districts, thereby acknowledging our nation's gifted young artists.
Jen Spann lives in Owings, and was joined on Capitol Hill today by her parents Cheryl and Clayton Spann. She learned about the Arts Competition from her Art teacher at Northern High School, Mr. Eugene Jones.
Since the first competition in 1982, Members have conducted nearly 5,000 local contests involving more than 650,000 high school students. The winning entries from each participating Member's district-wide contests are on display in the Cannon Tunnel connecting the Cannon House Office Building to the U.S. Capitol. This impressive exhibit represents the combined efforts of the Members who conducted their local contests and the students who participated. Even a cursory examination of these masterpieces reveals the extraordinary talent of our nation's youth.
"This competition offers our young people a unique opportunity to put on display their talented artwork for the thousands of visitors to our Nation's Capitol each year. I continue to encourage students in the 5th District to submit entries into this rewarding competition and take advantage of the opportunity it offers," concluded Hoyer.
In the 5th District, Congressman Hoyer sends letters to all of the high schools in the district announcing the Congressional Arts Competition each year. After entries have been submitted by the required date, three or four local judges from the education and business communities have the difficult job of judging the artwork and determining the winner.