Southeastern Regional Student Art Displayed at U.S. Capitol

(South Easton) - Jasmine Leslie, a Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Design and Visual Communications Major, never expected to hear Congressman Joe Kennedy III announce that her scratch board picture of a raccoon had taken Best in Show at the 4th District Congressional Art Competition, held at Franklin High School on May 2, 2015. Her high definition artwork took just a month to complete, but it will remain on display in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Capitol for an entire year.

“Every year, I am blown away by the talent of the great young artists here in the 4th District. This year was no different. From paintings to digital photographs, the creativity and dedication of these art students emanates from their work,” said Congressman Kennedy. “It’s always a pleasure to take part in something that celebrates the young people in our community. I was thrilled to host the 4th District Art Competition this year, and I look forward to seeing Jasmine’s winning piece down in Washington.”

Before Jasmine chose her project, she decided she wanted it to have texture to give her work a 3D look. She decided on producing a scratch board picture of a raccoon to show the variations of white, grey and black. What started out as white paper with a thin black veneer transformed into a realistic portrait of a raccoon after a month of carefully executed “scratching” her design into the layers of paper until the detailed artwork was complete.

“When I went to the competition, I thought I wasn’t going to win anything. I wasn’t expecting anything like what happened. I got the Best in Show, and will be the only one from the district going to Washington, DC.” Jasmine, along with her mother, Anita, will be escorted by Congressman Kennedy to the ceremony honoring winners from each of the 435 congressional districts. They will have the opportunity to view the winning art works at the capital and visit Washington, D.C.

DVC instructor Mrs. Shirley Ezerins gets to see Jasmine’s accomplishments on a daily basis in the classroom. “Jasmine is a very talented and creative young woman who puts a lot of time and effort into her work. I’m very excited to see her recognized. I feel this accomplishment will help to advance her career to the next level.”

Jasmine is currently a high school junior. She hopes to secure a career in Design and Visual Communication after high school, perhaps working for Adobe.

Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School is a public 9-12 vocational high school located in South Easton, Massachusetts, serving approximately 1,400 students from the City of Brockton and the towns of East Bridgewater, Easton, Foxborough, Mansfield, Norton, Sharon, Stoughton and West Bridgewater.

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