NH Student Wins First District Congressional Art Competition

MANCHESTER, NH — Recently, U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-NH, hosted a reception at the New Hampshire Institute of Art to congratulate participants and announce the winner of the 2017 Congressional Art Competition. Shea-Porter was pleased to announce that this year’s winner is Londonderry High School senior Melina Illinger. Melina’s artwork, a charcoal and pastel portrait of her late grandfather titled “Professor Pop,” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year, and she will receive round-trip airline tickets to Washington, D.C. for the national reception.

“It’s a pleasure to meet the gifted students who create such beautiful artwork for the Congressional Art Competition,” Shea-Porter said in a press statement. “My sincere congratulations to Melina and to all of this year’s participants for their hard work and artistic talent.”

The annual Congressional Art Competition represents an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in each congressional district. Since 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.

Submitted by Marjorie Connolly.