SOMERSET, KY -- U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers announced the winners of the 2017 Congressional Art Competition for Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District. The winning artwork will hang in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year, representing southern and eastern Kentucky. 

The first place winner is Yedarm Lee, a senior at Somerset Christian School. Yedarm Lee brought a squirrel to life in her pencil drawing entitled, "Squirrel." Her art teacher is Guy Crubaugh and she is an international student from South Korea. She will recieve two airline tickets from Southwest Airlines to attend a national reception in Washington, D.C. for the 2017 winning artists.

"Our region has a number of incredibly talented artists and this competition provides a way to highlight our students' work on the national level," said Congressman Rogers, who hosts the competition for Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District each year. "Yedarm's lively squirrel will captivate thousands of visitors in the U.S. Capitol Building throughout the year."

The second place artwork entitled, "Summer Afternoon" was submitted by Ariel Cline, a senior at Corbin High School. Her watercolor painting featured her and her friends on a raft at a pond on a sunny afternoon. Ariel's art teacher is Brenda Daniel and her parents are Jessica Poff and Michael Cline. 

The third place artwork entitled, "Sunshine" was created by a sophomore at McCreary Central High School, Emilie Loudermilk. Emilie's artwork features a woman dancing in a blue dress with bright colorful spots under her feet. Her art teacher is Jackie Watters and her parents are Madonna and Tony Loudermilk.

All of the artists will receive a Congressional Certificate of Recognition and a letter from Congressman Rogers for their participation. 

The Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by the Congressional Institute, was initiated by Congress in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of young people living in their districts. More than 650,000 students have participated in the competition over the last 30 years. For information about the annual competition, visit halrogers.house.gov. 

2017 Congressional Art Competition Winner, Yedarm Lee from Somerset Christian School

2nd Place Winner "Summer Afternoon" by Ariel Cline from Corbin High School

3rd Place Winner "Sunshine" by Emilie Loudermilk from McCreary Central High School