Press Releases

Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA) announced that Brooke Justus, an 11th-grade student at the Burton Center for Arts and Technology in Salem, has been named the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for Virginia’s Sixth District. Her piece, titled “A Roanoke Forest,” will be displayed in the United States Capitol for the next year.

The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide initiative to showcase the creativity and talent of high school students. In Virginia’s Sixth District, students from across the region submitted impressive works of art. In addition to the winning entry, artwork from the three runners-up will be displayed in the Congressman’s district offices.

As part of her recognition, Brooke traveled to Washington, D.C., this week, where she met with Congressman Cline and saw her artwork on display in the U.S. Capitol.

“Each year, the Congressional Art Competition is a great opportunity to recognize the talent of students across Virginia’s Sixth District, and Brooke’s piece, ‘A Roanoke Forest,’ is a proud representation of our region,” said Rep. Cline. “It was a pleasure to meet her in Washington and see her artwork displayed in the Capitol for visitors from across the country to enjoy.”

Below are the winners of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition:

First Place: Brooke Justus

School: 11^th Grade, Burton Center for Arts and Technology

Title: “A Roanoke Forest”

Southern Regional Runner-Up: Maddie Grow

School: 10^th Grade, Grow Classical School

Title: “Downtown Lexington”

Central Regional Runner-Up: Claudia Allemeier

School: 11^th Grade, Harrisonburg High School

Title: “Crowned Cranes”

Northern Regional Runner-Up: Mariska Sharma

School: 9^th Grade, John Handley High School

Title: “Vivaldi”

For more information about the Congressional Art Competition, click here.

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