Two student artists from Alaska had their artwork displayed for the nation at the Great American State Fair after winning state-level first place in the National American Heroes Student Art Contest. Hulda Cox from Anchorage won the elementary (grades 3-5) award and Konnor Kiddle from Palmer won the middle school (grades 6-8) award. Alaska did not have any student submissions for the high school level.
The competition was hosted by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and organized by Freedom 250, the leading organizer for America 250 celebrations.
“Freedom At Last” by Hulda Cox
Hulda’s artwork, titled “Freedom At Last,” honored Harriet Tubman.
Hulda wrote in a short essay displayed with her artwork: “My American Hero is Harriet Tubman. She was a remarkable woman and helped slaved escape. My drawing is inspired by the Hudson River School and shows the beautiful land of America. Not only did Harriet help slaves escape but also helped them realize they are beautiful and part of God’s creation. Harriet was a generous person because when she found out black people were safer in the New England states, she did not keep that to herself. She took many dangerous risks to save other slaves. Harriet shows us an example to stand up for ourselves and others when we are not being treated just.”
“Neil’s View” by Konnor Kiddle
Konnor’s artwork, titled “Neil’s View,” honored Neil Armstrong.
Konnor wrote in a short essay displayed alongside his artwork: “I chose Neil Armstrong’s view from the moon, because he became one of my heroes from a young age. When my mom first read me his story, I imagined what it would have felt like to represent all mankind in landing on the moon. My imagination grew in learning about Mr. Armstrong and how he performed a once in a lifetime act for all of us. We were the first country to get to the moon. We only knew so much about space and yet astronauts were willing to risk their lives to take mankind where it had never been before. Neil and Buzz only had a 50% chance of making it back home. I hope I would be willing to take risks when I get older for my country.”
Competition Details
The competition tasked students with creating a two-dimensional, original, handmade artwork honoring one of approximately 250 American heroes to be honored in the soon-coming National Garden of American Heroes. Participants could choose to depict the historical American hero as a portrait, or the ideas, themes, places, symbols, or cultural practices associated with the individual. The contest encouraged students to integrate the influence of an American art movement or known artist as inspiration for their work. Students were also asked to submit a short essay reflecting on why the historical figure matters to them and to the nation.
State and territory winners and one parent or guardian received a trip to Washington, DC, July 7-9, to be honored in the Student Art Exhibition at the Great American State Fair and at the Awards Ceremony, where the regional and national winners were announced.
The competition featured three rounds of judging. In the first round of judging, a panel of nine artists, art historians, and arts educators served as judges to review and score over 1,000 entries based on a rubric rating system, determining state and territory winners in each age category. In the second round of judging, a panel of Freedom 250 and NEH judges determined fifteen regional winners. In the final round, a small panel of distinguished judges, including Second Lady Usha Vance, determined the national winners.
National Winners
The first-place national winners were elementary student Jiyun Kim (Texas) for her artwork “Her World Beyond Sight and Sound” honoring Helen Keller, middle school student Violet Crowder (Nebraska) for her artwork “At First Glimpse” honoring astronaut John Glenn, and high school student Samantha Wiggin (Massachusetts) for her artwork “America Embodied: A Portrait of Theodore Roosevelt.”
Watch the Awards Ceremony
Watch the Awards Ceremony for the National American Heroes Student Art Contest here:
