(Warwick, R.I.) Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) announced Katheryn Clarke as the winner of his sixth annual Artistic Discovery Competition at New Urban Arts in Providence. Clarke is a senior at Exeter-West Greenwich High School.

“This is an excellent opportunity to highlight Rhode Island’s future artists,” said Langevin. “I always look forward to this annual competition to meet some of our most promising and talented high school students.” The winning submission was a pencil drawing entitled, “The Outward Gaze”.

An Artistic Discovery is the annual Congressional High School Art Competition. Every year members of Congress conduct local art competitions. The winning piece of art from each district is displayed as part of the national exhibit in the Cannon Tunnel, a pedestrian walkway leading to the U. S. Capitol. Since the competition was first launched in 1982, nearly 5,000 local contests have been conducted that have involved more than 650,000 high school students.

Langevin’s office received a total of 25 entries this year from Warwick, Cranston, Coventry, Scituate, Exeter/West Greenwich, East Greenwich and North Kingstown.

Founded in 1997, New Urban Arts serves 125 high school students in the Providence public high schools and 15 artists each year. They have been named one of fifty premiere arts and youth development programs in the country for four consecutive years, according to their website.

“While it is important that we focus on subjects like math and science, it is equally important that we do not neglect what the arts have to teach and offer,” continued Langevin.

Clarke will fly along with two others compliments of Southwest Airlines to Washington, D.C., this June for the unveiling of her artwork at the U.S. Capitol. Clarke will also receive a scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design.

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