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Oak Harbor High School students take top three spots in Representative Larson’s Congressional Art competition
Summary
Oak Harbor High School swept first, second and third places in Representative Rick Larson’s Congressional Art Competition this year; the council recognized the students and their teachers during a presentation highlighting local CTE and arts programs.
Oak Harbor City Council recognized Oak Harbor High School students who placed first, second and third in U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen’s Congressional Art Competition during a presentation at the May council meeting.
Kevin Fan, Island County liaison for Rep. Larsen, presented details on the competition and its reach, saying it "celebrates the artistic achievements of high school students across the United States." He told the council that each congressional office selects a single high school work to display in the U.S. Capitol and that Oak Harbor has a history of success, noting winners in 2019 and 2023.
Nut graf: The sweep marked the first time Oak Harbor took the top three places in this district-level selection, which organizers attributed to unusually strong local participation. Kit Christofferson and Oak Harbor High staff described heavy student engagement across visual arts and career-technical education programs and noted broad support from the district and community.
Details and context: The winning works included Tessa Meyer’s first-place entry "Swallow Your Attitude," Peyton Bodenhofer’s third-place drawing "Obscure," and others that placed second and received honorable mentions. Teachers at the high school described a year of sustained participation across multiple competitions, including Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (Gold Keys), SkillsUSA events and state exhibitions. One teacher said Oak Harbor submitted seven of the 15 pieces that advanced from the regional Congressional show and that eight Oak Harbor pieces advanced to the state-level ESD 189 show.
Council response and next steps: The council congratulated students and teachers and invited the winners and their families to Washington, D.C., where the first‑place artwork will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol. City staff noted upcoming public displays and local events to showcase student work.
Community significance: Councilmembers framed the recognition as evidence of community support for arts and CTE programs and urged continued backing for school arts funding and student representation on advisory boards.
