U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta announced the winners of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition, with several students from Santa Cruz County schools earning honors.
Among the local winners were Stella Rae Thelen of Pacific Collegiate School, who received honorable mention for design for her piece “Hidden Mind,” Finn Maxwell of San Lorenzo Valley High School, who earned honorable mention for composition for “Sapere Aude,” and Clara Latham of Soquel High School, who received honorable mention for storytelling for “I’d Be Fine.”
Hidden Mind • Stella Rae Thelen
The annual competition, which began in 1982, invites high school students from congressional districts across the country to submit original artwork. Winning entries are selected each spring by congressional offices, with first-place artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol.
This year, 33 students from across California’s 19th Congressional District submitted entries.
The top prize went to Adelaide Strom of Pacific Grove High School for her piece “Adelaide in Aubergine.” Her artwork will be displayed in the United States Capitol alongside winning submissions from other congressional districts nationwide. First-place winners and a family member are also invited to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony recognizing their achievement.
I’ll Be Fine • Clara Latham
“The immense talent we saw on display showcases the unparalleled beauty of our district and unique talent of our students in California’s 19th Congressional District,” Panetta said in a statement. “This contest also illustrates the importance of arts education and programming for our youth as a means of self-expression and of opening students to new skills, ideas, and interests.”
Other winners included Katherine Zhu of Leland High School, who placed second for “Passengers of Life,” Emma Wang of Leland High School, who placed third for “My Wish,” and Jessamine Sloan of Leland High School, who received honorable mention for technique for “Our Beginning.”
TOP IMAGE: Sapere Aude • Finn Maxwell