Syracuse Sun

Today, Congressman Brandon Williams (NY-22) announced the winner of the 22nd District of New York’s Congressional Art Competition. High school students were invited to submit original artwork for consideration to be displayed in the United States Capitol.

This year’s winner is Kayden Benedict, a sophomore at Morrisville-Eaton Central School District. She created an acrylic painting titled "A Lone Traveler." As part of her recognition, Kayden will be honored in Rep. Williams’ district and will attend the competition’s annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. Her artwork will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol.

“A solitary astronaut wanders the vastness of the universe. At the moment, this astronaut has taken a short break from traveling the endless void to reflect on the past and think of the future,” reads the description of her artwork.

“Congratulations to Kayden Benedict on her outstanding artwork. This recognition is well-deserved, and I look forward to welcoming Kayden and her family to Washington for the awards ceremony, where ‘A Lone Traveler’ will be proudly displayed,” said Rep. Williams. “To every student who submitted a piece of art for this year’s competition, thank you for sharing your hard work and creative talents!”