Capitol Tunnel Transformed: Oklahoma Teen's Art Wins Congressional Acclaim

More than 400 high school student artists from across the country were honored in the nation’s capital last week. They are the 2024 winners of the annual Congressional Art Competition and include five winners from Oklahoma, one for each district. 

 A recognition ceremony on Thursday brought hundreds of students and their families to the Capitol, where it became evident America’s young people are full of artistic talent.

"Yes! Oh, my goodness, it’s all so amazing,” said Jordyn Perkins.

Perkins just graduated from Classen SAS High School in Oklahoma City. The 18-year-old’s painting, titled If You're Ever in My Oklahoma, was inspired by a photo she took near her rural home in Mustang.

“It was from one of my favorite photos,” Perkins said in an interview Thursday, “because of the pinks from the sky this storm that was happening onto this lake, and all these power lines…and I just thought it was beautiful, and that was the one.”

And it was ‘the’ one, taking first place in Rep. Stephanie Bice's 5th District.

“That was insane to me,” Perkins explained, recalling the ceremony in May where she learned she’d won. “I actually didn’t get up at first because I never thought I would win. It was so surreal.”

Perkins’s paint, along with all the others – from Oklahoma and every other state, hang now in a most unique ‘gallery’, the Cannon Tunnel, which connects the Cannon House Office Building with the Capitol. It gets a lot of foot traffic.

“Yes, I mean, there are thousands of people that walk through the tunnels of the Capitol that will see this artwork hanging there,” said Rep. Bice (R-Okla.) in an interview.

The competition is now in its 43rd year and 431 out of 435 congressional districts participated this year. The members say it's a great opportunity to highlight young people are their artistic talents.

“And then they have the opportunity to come to Washington, D.C., and have their artwork hung on the wall in the tunnel for an entire year,” said Bice, “it’s a pretty big honor.”

Jordyn says she couldn't be more grateful, especially to her art teachers. She says she’ll keep her paintbrushes handy as she heads to OSU in the fall to study elementary education. 

“Because teachers are really important,” Perkins said, “and I feel like kids at such a young age can be influenced, and I think art is something that everybody should be surrounded by, so I hope to use that in my teaching.”