Starkville Students Win Congressional Art Honors

PEARL, Miss. (Press Release)  – U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper (R–Miss.) today awarded Starkville High School senior, Carys Snyder, as the overall winner of Mississippi’s Third Congressional District 2015 Congressional Art Competition. Snyder’s entry entitled, “Mr. Kennard,” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC for one year beginning in June.

Harper announced the overall and divisional winners during a reception for participants, teachers, and family members held at the Pearl Community Room.

This competition is a unique opportunity for students to showcase their artistic abilities and represent Mississippi’s Third Congressional District in our nation’s capital.  I’m excited to celebrate the extraordinary talent of our students,” said Rep. Harper. “Mississippians are surrounded by inspiration for cultural expression. From the mighty Mississippi River to the farmland spread across the Magnolia State, and innovative industries along the way, our state is an artistic crossroads.”

As the overall winner, Snyder is eligible for a $1,500 per year scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga. She will receive two roundtrip tickets to Washington, DC, compliments of Southwest Airlines.

The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of high school students.

This year’s competition was judged by a three-member panel comprised of local accomplished artists and instructors. The competition judges were Sandra Murchison, Professor of Studio Art & Chair of the Art Department at Millsaps College, Christopher Brady, Instructor of Art at East Central Community College, and Alex Bostic, Associate Professor in the Department of Art at Mississippi State University.