News

Edwards honors winners of 2025 Congressional Art Competition

Christina Cannon of McDowell High School won Rep. Edwards's Congressional art contest.

By Lightning Reports, Published: May 14, 2025

U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards hosted a reception on Monday to celebrate the student winners of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition in North Carolina’s 11th District.

During the event, Edwards congratulated the winner and runners-up of the competition. The winning artworks were chosen by a select panel of judges.

The winner, Christina Cannon of McDowell High School, will have her artwork, “Death and Rebirth,” displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

Runners-up were:

• Second place: Brinnen Shelton, student at IC Imagine Public Charter School: “Open-ended orange”
• Third place: Makenna Johnson, student at IC Imagine Public Charter School: “Bead of Resilience”

“The Congressional Art Competition is a special opportunity for the students in our mountains to show off their extraordinary talents and creativity," Edwards said. “Congratulations to Christina Cannon, the 2025 Congressional Art Competition winner for NC-11, and to all our runners-up. Thank you to all who took the time and effort to participate in the competition and for sharing your gifts to contribute to our community.”