After Record Submissions, Davids Announces Winners of 2024 Congressional Art Competition
This weekend, Representative Sharice Davids hosted a reception honoring the student applicants who participated in her 2024 Congressional Art Competition. This year, Davids’ office received a record-breaking 35 student submissions, doubling the number from previous years.
At the event, Davids announced the winners:
- First Place: Siena Masilionis, a student at Blue Valley North High School, for “A Dream Realized.”
- The piece will hang in the U.S. Capitol for one year.
- Second Place: Samantha Woods, a student at Blue Valley West High School, for “Growing Apart.”
- The piece will hang in Davids’ Overland Park district office for one year.
"I am incredibly proud of all the talented students who participated in our congressional art competition this year,” said Davids. “Congratulations to this year’s winners, Siena Masilionis and Samantha Woods, for their impressive and moving pieces. The creativity and dedication of all 35 young artists showcase the bright future of our community."
Siena Masilionis’ “A Dream Realized” – The drawing depicts a triumphant moment for Jack, a junior swimmer at Blue Valley North High School. Jack, who is Masilionis’ best friend, achieved his first-ever state qualifying cut by surpassing his personal best meet time. The artwork captures Jack celebrating his achievement by clasping his parents' hands in joy.
“When I was a little kid, I went to the Capitol and saw the hallway with all of the artwork and said ‘I want to be there,’” said Siena Masilionis, 2024 Congressional Art Competition winner. “My parents remembered how excited I was about this competition at eight years old, so it’s so cool to win because it all came full circle.”
Samantha Woods’ “Growing Apart” – The acrylic painting portrays Woods and her brother, Tyler, engaged in childhood bickering. This sibling rivalry, which eventually evolved into a strong bond, was tragically disrupted by Tyler's passing at the age of 17. Woods reflects on the cherished memories of their time together, the profound grief caused by his untimely death, and her evolving perspective on life.
“My piece is definitely something I hold close to my heart. It’s hard for me to open that up to people, so showing that to the world is very important to me,” said Samantha Woods,2024 Congressional Art Competition runner-up. “When I heard my name, it felt good to be recognized for my love for my brother and my creativity. I know that along the way, my pieces may not touch on my grief but rather my future, but I’ll still hold the identity of my brother with me.”
The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for Members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their constituents. Since then, more than 650,000 high school students have been involved in the nationwide competition.
The judges for Davids’ art competition included Brianne Fulton Miller, Associate Professor of Art at Ottawa University, Dan Finnell, an Overland Park-based artist and teacher at the Jewish Heritage Center, and Megh Knappenberger, local artist and one of the only artists ever granted licensing by the University of Kansas.