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4 students receive art awards in Washington

• Four Southwest Georgia students are recognized at the nation's capital for their artwork.

Ashley Hindsman

ALBANY — Four high school students in Georgia’s Second Congressional District were honored for their participation in the 2008 Congressional Art Competition Monday.

Congressman Sanford Bishop, D-Albany, addressed the four honorees in a video call from his Columbus office and announced each honoree’s placement in the competition.

Among the students were Karen Swann, Davis Flowers and Katelyn Reed of Brookwood High School in Thomasville, who received honorable mention, third- and second- place recognition, respectively.

Brandon Mooney, a rising senior at Jordan High School in Columbus, won first place for his scratch board artwork that will be on display in an 11-month exhibit in the Cannon Tunnel, which connects the House Chambers to the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Bishop said each year he looks forward to the entries from his district that will “add a little art and a little soul to what we do everyday.”

“You all make me proud to bring your artwork to Washington, D.C. I may be biased, but I think artwork from our district is indeed the best,” he said.

Mooney, 16, said he is glad he decided to keep working on his entry, which he said took nearly two months to complete and went through several revisions.

“Considering the amount of work I put into it, I’m really proud of it,” he said.

Mooney’s art teacher, Shary Williams, said she is honored to see one of her students’ work being awarded, especially since she is retiring this year.

“It really was a lot of hard work. I pushed him to keep going with it, and he fussed at me about it and now he’s really thrilled,” Williams said.

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