H-F Student Among Congressional Art Competition Winners

HOMEWOOD-FLOSSMOOR, IL — Students from the Park Forest, Richton Park and Homewood-Flossmoor areas took the top prizes in the 2019 Congressional Art Competition for high school students.

Alacia Haller, 15, of Park Forest, won first place for her portrait, “Girl Refracted.” Haller’s artwork will be on display for one year in the U.S. Capitol. She was also awarded two round-trip tickets to Washington D.C. to attend a reception honoring winning artists from all 50 states. Haller is a sophomore at Southland College Preparatory Charter High School in Richton Park.

Kaly Humbles, of Southland College Preparatory Charter High School, took second place for her work titled “Jormungander.” Gilberto Angulo, of Thornwood High School, placed third for his drawing named “Smooth Criminal.”

Neida Aguilar, of Homewood-Flossmoor High School, won the “People’s Choice Award” for her photograph called “Forest.” She was selected by the attendees of the reception.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly announced the winners during a reception at the Christopher Art Gallery at Prairie State College.

“We had a record 63 students representing 11 schools submit their remarkable artwork to the contest,” she said in a statement. “Our judges had a difficult job deciding between all of these amazing works of art. I want to express my gratitude to each artist for taking part in the contest, as well as to their teachers and parents, who encourage and develop their talent.”

Each of the runners-up and the People’s Choice recipient received gift certificates. The artwork of the second- and and third-place winners will be displayed in Congresswoman Kelly’s district offices in Matteson and Chicago.

Schools that participated in the competition included: Bishop McNamara Catholic School, Hillcrest High School, Thornton Fractional North High School, Thornwood High School, Bloom Trail High School, Kankakee High School, Southland College Preparatory Charter High School, Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Bloom High School, Illinois Lutheran High School, Thornridge High School, and the Chicago Academy for the Arts.

The Congressional Art Competition was established by the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982 to acknowledge and support the artistic talent of America’s young adults.