2008 Congressional Art Contest Winners Announced For Hawaii’s Second Congressional District
KAHULUI, MAUI —Congresswoman Mazie Hirono announced, this weekend, Hilo High School junior, Anna Dobos, is the grand prize winner of the 2008 Congressional Art Contest, “Kaha Ki’i: An Artistic Discovery.”
Dobos will soon hold the honor of having her winning work, titled, ”Awaiting the Ride Home,” representing the 2nd Congressional District at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Hirono also congratulated Amanda Bowers of Baldwin High School on Maui for her second place work, "Pollution", as well as Chy Ann Raymond of Kapolei High School, who took third place for her piece, “Life Cycle."
In all, 134 students from Kauai, Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island entered the prestigious contest. Hirono honored the semifinalists and eventual winners at an awards ceremony held at the Maui Community College Library.
“This is one of the ways we can encourage the creativity in our young people,” said Hirono. “It’s very important now as we live in a fast-changing world and creativity is one of the ways we can learn to be flexible. So, it’s important that we support the arts.”
For the next year, Dobos will have her artwork displayed along a highly visited corridor that leads to the U.S. Capitol Building, side-by-side with winning pieces of art representing all 435 congressional districts.
Dobos has also earned a round-trip visit to Washington D.C., along with her art teacher, Gale Wallace, where they will participate in a dedication ceremony on June 25, 2008 at the Cannon House Office Building walkway.
Bowers, will have her second place piece art displayed in Congresswoman Hirono’s Washington office, over the next year. The artwork of third place finisher, Raymond, will hang in the congresswoman’s Honolulu office during that same period.
Dr. Hillario Aquilizan, Neida Bangerter, Darrell Orwig, Phillip Sabado, and Michael Takemoto, served as the judges during the contest’s final round.
Hawaiian Airlines provided air transportation for students and teachers traveling to the Maui ceremony. Aloha Airlines provided prizes to student finalists and air-shipping for student artwork from different islands to Maui for final judging. Hilton Hotels is providing hotel accommodations for the winning student and her teacher in Washington, D.C.
Other sponsors include Aina Nui Corporation, Kapolei Property Development, LLC, BAE Systems, Castle & Cooke, and Frito-Lay of Hawai’i.
###
