Students win honors in 9th District art contest

2/15/2007

Several Toledo-area students have won honors in an annual art competition through Congressman Marcy Kaptur's office.

The winners of the Ninth District Congressional Art Competition were announced during a ceremony Sunday in the lobby of One SeaGate.

This year, 86 students from 17 schools throughout the district entered the competition with the hope of seeing their work displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year.

Hannah Gregory of Oberlin High School in Lorain County won first place in the overall competition and received a total of $150 in U.S. savings bonds for her entry, which she titled Saturday Night.

The teen's work will be sent to Washington to represent the Ninth District in a national display of winners in the U.S. Capitol. She will also be invited to participate in award ceremonies in Washington later this year.

Honored as runners-up in the overall category were Sonya Shiffler from Waite High School for What About the Revolution? and Blythe Worstell from Whitmer High School for Prayer.

Katherine O'Brien and Kristin Stroud, both of Whitmer High School, were named winners in the commercial design category. The commercial design element was made possible through a partnership with Libbey Inc.

"The arts enrich our lives and expand the creative horizons of our young people," said Miss Kaptur (D., Toledo) in a statement. "The Congressional Arts Competition gives a platform for young artists in our community to get the recognition they deserve."

Participating high schools were: Alliance Academy, Toledo Bowsher, Clay, Edison, Firelands, Notre Dame Academy, Oberlin, Toledo Rogers, St. Ursula, Springfield, Toledo Start, Sylvania Northview, Sylvania Southview, Toledo School for the Arts, Waite, Wellington, and Whitmer.