LHS senior wins congressional art contest
by Kootenai Valley Record
May 19, 2010
Libby High School senior Paige Ward’s photograph of a bee on a flower has been selected as the grand prize winner of Montana’s Congressional Art Competition for 2010.
Ward’s artwork, titled "Silent Helper," was selected from among the entries submitted from all across Montana for the competition, held by the U.S. House of Representatives annually since 1982. Ward will join Congressman Denny Rehberg for a Capitol Hill ceremony where her artwork will be unveiled and displayed for one year in the Cannon Tunnel along with the artwork of winners from other congressional districts. The Cannon Tunnel is a pedestrian walkway, leading to the United States Capitol building, frequented by members of Congress, staff, and the general public.
"With this year’s batch of exceptional artwork from around Montana, picking a winner was harder than ever," Rehberg said. "Hosting the Congressional Art Contest is a pleasure to judge each year. I look forward to seeing Paige’s beautiful picture on the walls of the Cannon Tunnel."
Paige is the daughter of Steve and Sydney Ward of Libby. She made her image for an assignment in a photography class taught by Patty Rambo at Libby High School.
"I was walking by the creek behind the school during photography class," Ward said. "I noticed the bee sitting on a flower and took a picture, thinking nothing of it."
Ward’s artwork was also the top choice in public voting via the social networking website Facebook. Rehberg posted all entries online for public review and voting to help select the finalists.
As the grand prize winner, Ward received airfare for her and a guest to attend the artwork’s unveiling ceremony. She’ll also receive a $1,000 art scholarship offer from the University of Montana.
"As an artist going to college next fall and majoring in photography, I am very pleased to add this accomplishment to my applications and awards in the future," Ward said. "Winning this competition helped me realize that even a simple girl from the Middle of Nowhere, Montana can achieve her dreams. I hope this is just the start of many great accomplishments in my photographic career. I just want to say that I am thrilled with this opportunity and could not hold in my enthusiasm when I heard I won! I was shocked and leaped in the air when Ms. Rambo told me! I couldn’t believe it!"
Ward also submitted a colored pencil and marker drawing and three other photos to the contest. Other LHS students submitting art to the contest included Ben Graziano, Angelique Vensas, Amie Henley, Brandon Evans, Casey Whitaker, Christian Haugen, Corey Chapman, Dallas Brown, Kyla O’Brien, Kim Curtiss, Makayla Cichosz, Rebecka Turman, Stephanie Shuey and Steven Noble.
Owen Fifield, a reporter with the Tamarack newspaper at Libby High School, contributed to this story.
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Editor’s Note: See the May 18, 2010 edition of the Kootenai Valley Record for the printed version of this story. The Kootenai Valley Record publishes once a week, on Tuesdays, in Libby, Montana. They are a locally owned community newspaper, located at 403 Mineral Avenue in Libby. For in-county and out-of-county subscription information, call 406-293-2424, or e-mail kvrecord@gmail.com.
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