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Congressional Art winner visits D.C.

Source: Media release, office of Congresswoman Aumua Amata

Washington, DC — Congresswoman Aumua Amata, and her fellow colleagues in the House of Representatives welcomed over 400 winners of the Congressional Art Competition to Washington, D.C. on Thursday.  Ms. Nina Vergara of Pacific Horizons School won American Samoa’s competition this year with a piece entitled Cheese.  The local competition was held at Sadie’s-by-the-Sea.

This year celebrates the 35th Annual Congressional Art Competition.  The nationwide art competition, which is voluntarily sponsored by Members of Congress, allows creative high school students to showcase their talents in Washington, D.C.  The first place winners in each competition has their winning entry displayed at the U.S. Capitol for one year, and are eligible for scholarship opportunities from the Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Georgia.  SCAD is one of the most highly acclaimed institutions of higher learning for the arts in the world. The winner is invited to fly to Washington, D.C. for a national reception honoring the winning artists from all over the country.

 “I want to congratulate our winner, and all of the competition participants,” said Amata.  “It is always a pleasure for me, whenever I am walking over to the Capitol, to see artwork from America’s most talented youth hanging on the wall. It fills me with joy knowing that there are such creative minds in our schools, and I am proud of the talent our students have, and want to encourage them to continue to explore their artistic abilities,” continued Amata. “I also want to thank this year’s sponsors for their generous contributions, and without whose efforts this event would not have been able to take place.  I would especially like to thank Mr. Tuli Fruean, the Hawaiian Air station manager in Pago Pago. Mr. Fruean’s hard work was instrumental in ensuring Ms. Vergara and her mother could attend this year’s Congressional Art Competition Winner’s Reception in Washington,” concluded Amata.

Congresswoman Aumua Amata and her staff would like to recognize and thank the following businesses and individuals for their generous contributions to this year’s competition: Hawaiian Airlines, McDonalds of American Samoa, Happy World, the Honorable Representative Kitara Vaiau, the Honorable Representative Sam Meleisea, Daily Store, Happy Trucking, Talofa Airways, Paramount Builders, iBC Store, Star Kist Samoa Inc., KDJ Kristophers Store, Lima Fesoasoani, Tutuila Store, S.O.F.I.A.S., Pago Airport Inn, Blue Sky American Samoa, KS Mart, Matai’s Restaurant, and Samoa Motors.

 “I could not be more proud of Nina, and I look forward to seeing her piece on the wall every time I walk to the Capitol,” said Amata. “Nina’s piece will be seen by hundreds of thousands of people over the course of the next year, and her work is a fine example of the talent our young people have. “