Each year I invite all high school students from all around the Fourth District of New Jersey to compete in the annual
Fourth District Congressional High School Art Competition (CAC), part of a nation-wide art venue sponsored by the 
Congressional Institute.

   Encouraged by art teachers and families or on their own, these ninth through twelfth graders must submit their original,
framed art in the hopes of being chosen for an honor that includes having their work displayed in the United States Capitol
Complex alongside other winning entries from across the nation for approximately one year.

     The latest information, including deadlines, on the 2024 show were posted below on Feb. 20, 2024. The 2024 venue was held at the
RWJBarnabas Community Medical Center from March 26 through May 3 in Toms River.  Final rules from the Congressional Institute
and Rep. Smith's accompanying supplemental rules are posted below. Unfortunately, competition is limited to framed art of a limited
size that can be hung on a wall. (See rules below for details.).

About the Show:

2024 Contest Rules and Forms
Please read both documents on competition rules:
Congressional Institute's 2024 Rules of Entry
NJ-04 2024 District Rules of Entry.

Other important documents:
2024 Congressional Institute student release form*
Listing form by high school for teachers** 
Congressional Institute's Helpful Checklist for Submissions
Guide to plagiarism

Am I in the Fourth Congressional District, which is comprised of 40 towns in Ocean and Monmouth County?

*Please submit via email the Student Release form with an attached jpeg high-resolution (for an online gallery) of the artwork
which includes in the jpeg file name, the student’s name, school and title of the piece by March 19, 2024.
Example of jpeg file name: Jane Doe Jackson High The Morning Sunrise in oil teacher Jack Miller.jpeg).
Email to nj04artcomp@mail.house.gov   

**Teachers, please submit the above Teacher's Student Participation form to my office by March 19, listing
each student that intends to participate in the competition. Students can be later added or removed prior to judging.

This year, the competition and exhibition was be held between Wednesday, March 27 through the first week of May. The judges,
each accomplished artists in their own right, review all submissions each year, and a Best-in-Show as well as runners-up designated
as First, Second, Third, Fourth and Honorable Mentions will be named.  (Click here to learn about the judges.) All of the works will be
on display at Community Medical Center through May during normal hospital visiting hours. Visitors are subject to the New Jersey
General State Visitation Guidelines for Hospitals. 

The winners were announced and congressional certificates presented by the hospital and Rep. Smith at a ceremony
and reception May 3.

For more information about the competition, including the 2025 competition, call Kate of Jeff at 732-504-0567 or email
questions to nj04artcomp@mail.house.gov


LATEST: Winners announced in the
2024 Competition & Exhibition:

Read Congressman Smith announces 2024 winning high school artists.
Visit Congressman Smith's 2024 High School Virtual Art Gallery here.
View the 2024 winners selected by judges here.

“Independence Day” in acrylic on Masonite by Monica Kirschenbaum from Wall High School won 2024 Best in Show.

2024 winners:

   Best in Show: “Independence Day” in acrylic on
Masonite by Monica Kirschenbaum from Wall High School;

   First Place Runner-up: “Saltwater Breeze” in colored
pencil by Abigail Buechler from Wall High School;

   Second Place Runner-up: “Inch by Inch” in scratch-
board by Johanna Bryan from Wall High School;

   Third Place Runner-up: “Self Portrait of 3-Year-Old Self”
in acrylic painted on wood by Mackenzie Brennan from
Manasquan High School;

   Fourth Place Runner-up: “What Lies Beneath” in acrylic
and oil paint with resin on wood by Marisa Amitie’ from
Wall High School;

   Honorable Mention: “Rick’s Last Project” in colored
pencil by Madison English from Lacey Township High
School;

   Honorable Mention: “Duke and Dutchess” in oil paint by
Jordan Bohrer from Jackson Liberty High School;

   Honorable Mention: “Evening Snack” in oil on Masonite
by Abigail Lee from Wall High School;

   Honorable Mention: “Cup of Sea” in photography by
Jackson Conlan from Lacey Township High School; and

   Honorable Mention: “Slow Day at the Comic Shop” in
pen and ink by Isabella Stivale from Point Pleasant Borough
High School.

The 2023 Competition:

Press release announcing the 2023 winners
Photos of all the winning art work
Virtual Gallery of all entries

New this year: I invited the art teachers of the high school students who entered the competition to exhibit their work
along with my judges:
Art Teachers Virtual Gallery
Judges Virtual Art Gallery

2023 top place "Best-in-Show" winner is Wall High School 11th- grader Cassidy Savage's entry "Queen Clover," done in oil on Masonite. Her art teacher is Jill Alexander.

2023 winners:

Best in Show (pictured): “Queen Clover” in oil on Masonite by Cassidy Savage
from Wall High School;

Second Place Runner-up: “Hiding in Plain Sight” in pen and ink by Sara
Nugent from Wall High School;

Third Place Runner-up: “Sage Advice” in colored pencil by Katie Cortese
from Wall High School;

Honorable Mention: “Fossil Feeling” in Conte crayon by Caiden Gilmartin
from Freehold Township High School;

Honorable Mention: “Height of Attention” in oil paint by Emma Kuster from
Manasquan High School;

Honorable Mention: “Brooklyn Brownstones” in chalk pastels by Lily
Ducharme from Manasquan High School; and

Honorable Mention: “Breakfast” in oil by Scarlett Scillia from Point Pleasant
Borough High School.

The 2022 Art Competition:
Click here to see entire Virtual Gallery
Click here to see top place winners

Joseph Sambade
Wall High School
"Color Blind Fruit"
acrylic on canvas

• Best in Show: “Color Blind Fruit” in acrylic on canvas by Joseph Sambade from Wall High School;
• First Place Runner-up: “A Duck in a Lake” in paper collage by Jessica Bajcic from Red Bank Regional High School;
• Second Place Runner-up: “Drowsy Duo” in white charcoal by Davin Kaminski from Wall High School;
• Third Place Runner-up: “Product Placement” in acrylic on canvas by Paige Contreras from Wall High School;
• Honorable Mention: “Party City” in 35mm photography by Mary Wood from Red Bank Regional High School;
• Honorable Mention: “Gilbert in the Sun” in oil on canvas board by Fiona Gourlie from Red Bank Regional High School;
• Honorable Mention: “Still Life” in pastel by Jake Visco from Freehold Township High School; and
• Honorable Mention: “Café with Nono” in colored pencil by Nelly Bianchi from Wall High School.

The 2021 competition:
Smith announces 2021 winners
Click here to view winners
Click here to enter complete 2021 Virtual Gallery

The seven 2021 winners selected by the judges are:

• Best in Show- “Within the Shadows,” in charcoal and white charcoal, by Samantha Nemergut, Grade 11, Wall High School
• First Place Runner-up- “Sonder,” in acrylic paint by Kendall Walsh, Grade 12, of Red Bank Regional High School
• Second Place Runner-up- “City Reflection,” in oil paint, by Emily Dee, of Red Bank Regional High School
• Third Place Runner- “Side Street in Neon,” in digital media, by Kathryn Johnson, of Red Bank Regional High School
• Honorable Mention- “The Colors of Water,” digital photograph, by Sophia Giordano, Grade 12 of Red Bank Regional High School
• Honorable Mention- “Rollercoaster of Life,” in charcoal, by Evelyn Kunycky, Grade 10 of Wall High School
• Honorable Mention- “Blood Oranges,” in watercolor, by Averi Noel, Grade 10, of Wall High School

PICTURED: Samantha Nemergut of Wall High School won top honors of
Best-in-Show with her charcoal drawing “Within the Shadows.”


Changes due to the coronavirus: Going 'virtual' again in 2021

   The venue of the 2021 competition was again be a virtual gallery, with a possible slide show exhibition at
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital-Hamilton (RWJ-Hamilton). Deadline for registration was March 29, 2021. A juried
exhibition was held in in May.

   Unfortunately, once again my annual reception at RWJ-Hamilton to distribute Congressional Certificates to all
participants and announce winners was canceled in 2021 due to COVID-19. Certificates are to be delivered by mail, and
winners informed via phone. RWJ-Hamilton's gallery is also unable to facilitate any inquiries of art sale as it did in previous
years. Contact my office to reach the teachers for inquiries. As of Oct. 26, 2020, the Congressional Institute completed hanging
the original 2020  best-in-show works. Its 2020 national reception was held virtually, and a possible event might be scheduled in
Washington for the 2020 winners, but has not been scheduled as of Feb. 21, 2021. You can view the December 2020 Congressional
Art Competition Virtual Receptionby clicking here.


2020 Show:
Rep. Smith's 2020 winner's art on display at U.S. Capitol
Best in Show Winner: https://www.congressionalinstitute.org/2020-winners/#SchoolofComplements
All winners across country: https://www.congressionalinstitute.org/2020-winners/

Smith Announces winners May 26, 2020
Click here to read announcement
Click here to see Judges' top picks

Smith Opens 2020 'Virtual' Art Gallery April 24, 2020
Click here to view Judges' own artwork
Click here to enter 2020 Gallery

Click here to read announcement about the 2020 show regarding the coronavirus update.

2020 & Previous Year Winners

Scroll down below to view last year and previous years winning artwork. 

2020 Art Competition Winners

Best in Show- (PICTURED AT LEFT)“School of Complements,”
watercolor by Nicole Damiano, Grade 11, Wall High School

First Place Runner-up- “Nico,” on scratchboard, by Alanah Gaines,
Wall High School

Second Place Runner-up- “Mementos," oil on canvas by Kylie Frew,
Grade 12, Freehold Township High School

Third Place Runner- "Gray Engine," oil painting by Max Guo, of
Holmdel, Grade 10, High Tech High

Honorable Mention- "Son," in pencil, by Cynthia Zhang, Grade 11,
Holmdel High School

Honorable Mention- "In the Light," in acrylic by Oliver Jamison,
Grade 12, Freehold Township High School

Honorable Mention- "Dreamer," mixed media by Jacqueline Shen,
Grade 9, Holmdel High School

Honorable Mention- "Music Man," oil on canvas, by Grace Puharic,
Grade 12, Wall High School

Best-in-show for 2020 is Nicole Damiano's "School of Complements."

First Place Runner-up was “Nico,” on scratchboard, by Alanah Gaines, Wall High School.

Selected for Second Place Runner-up was “Mementos," oil on canvas by Kylie Frew, Grade 12, Freehold Township High School.

Third Place Runner Up selected by the judges was "Gray Engine," oil painting by Max Guo, of Holmdel, Grade 10, High Tech High

The judges awarded an Honorable Mention to "Dreamer," mixed media by Jacqueline Shen, Grade 9, Holmdel High School.

Honorable Mention was awarded to "Music Man," oil on canvas, by Grace Puharic, Grade 12, Wall High School.

Honorable Mention was awarded to "Son," in pencil, by Cynthia Zhang, Grade 11, Holmdel High School.

An Honorable Mention was given to "In the Light," in acrylic by Oliver Jamison, Grade 12, Freehold Township High School.

2019 Winners
Click here to read an announcement of the 2019 winners and slide show from the 2019 show reception.
Click here to read the opening of the 2019 show

Best in Show- “Family Tree,” by Anna Effenberger, of Colts Neck, a 12th-grader at Ranney School. (charcoal on paper)

First Place Runner-up- “Biggest Catch,” by Meghan Cole, a 12th-grader at Wall High School. (oil on Masonite)

Second Place Runner-up- “Tea Time,” by Sarah Hendrickson, a 12th-grader at Wall High School. (white charcoal)

Third Place Runner-up- “The Watcher,” by Grace Puharic, an 11th-grader at Wall High School. (watercolor)

Honorable Mention- “Migration of the Nestingbacks,” by Catherine Epps, a 12th-grader at Steinert High School in Hamilton. (chalk)

Honorable Mention- “Bright Night,” by Stefani Stauffacher, a 9th-grader at Robbinsville High School. (Tempera paint)

Honorable Mention- “Furry Friend,” by Alexandria Lee, a 12th-grader at Wall High School, (scratch board)  

Honorable Mention- “Tableau Self Portraits” by Alyssa Hagen, an 11th-grader at Allentown High School. (digital photography)

   
 The 2019 Reception at RWJ-Hamilton Water Front Gallery:

Visitors to RWJ University Hospital-Hamilton enjoy the art work of students each year.

2019 Best in Show winner Anna Effenberger of the Ranney School in Monmouth County is welcomed by Rep. Smith at the national exhibition of 2019 Congressional Art Competition in June 2019 in Washington. Above at center is Anna's winning work which was on display at the Capitol through June 2020.

"Family Tree" by Anna Effenberger of Colts Neck NJ, a student from the Ranney School, won Best-in-Show. Done in charcoal on paper, the judges were awed by the skill in the detail of a larger work.

"Biggest Catch" by Meghan Cole of Wall High School was 2019 1st place runner up. Done in oil on Masonite, the judges appreciated the sunlit colors and dimensions of Meghan’s depiction.

"Tea Time" by Sarah Hendrickson of Wall High was 2nd place runner-up. Done in white charcoal,  the judges immediately praised its clean, realistic, photo-like appearance.

"The Watcher" by Grace Puharic of Wall High School was 3rd place runner-up. Done in watercolor, the judges appreciated the fine detail in a small work, as well as the obscured subject matter that called for discovery.

"Migration of the Nestingbacks," by Catherine Epps of Steinert High School, took home Honorable Mention.Done in chalk pastel, the originality brings the beholder into an other-worldly fantasy.

"Tableau Portraits" by Allentown High School Alyssa Hagen won an Honorable Mention. Done in digital photography, the judges were impressed by the blending of mediums and artistic creativity.

"Bright Night" by Stefani Stauffacher of Robbinsville High School won Honorable Mention. . The judges were impressed by the colorful detail using a difficult medium with which to paint.

"Furry Friend" by Alexandria Lee of Wall High School won Honorable Mention. The fine detail in the fur and lighting caught the attention of the judges.

Rep. Smith's  2019 judges, Jim Inzero, Rich Thompson and Debbie Jencsik, are all accomplished artists. Above they judge this year's show on April 5, 2019.

2018 Winners

You can click here to watch a slide show of the 2018 winners and read the announcement of 2018 winners.

Best in Show- Jordan Heine, 11th Grade, Wall High School; “American Graffiti” (acrylic on canvas)
First Place Runner-up- Micayla Augustyn, 12th Grade, Wall High School, “Dog Daze of Summer” (oil on canvas)
Second Place Runner-up- Kylie Frew, 10th Grade, Freehold Township Regional High School; “City Hall” (colored pencil)
Third Place Runner-up- Brynna Fisher, 10th Grade, Princeton Day School; “The Point of Construction” (mixed media collage)
Honorable Mention- Keon Cooper, 12th Grade, Hamilton High East (Steinert) School; “Savion” (digital painting)
Honorable Mention- Sarah Fakult, 11th Grade, Freehold Twp. Regional High; “Empower the Bully Breed with Flowers” (oil on canvas)
Honorable Mention- Gazal Mathur, 9th Grade, Robbinsville High School; “Sea’s Sick” (colored pencil)
Honorable Mention-Photography - Cece McCarthy, 12th Grade, Red Bank Regional High School; “Sky Light” (digital photography)

2018 WINNING STUDENTS – from left to right are: Honorable Mention winner Keon Cooper, 12th Grade,
Hamilton High East (Steinert);  Honorable Mention winner Gazal Mathur, 9th Grade, Robbinsville High School;  
Second Place Runner-up Kylie Frew, 10th Grade, Freehold Township Regional High School; Honorable Mention
winner Sarah Fakult, 11th Grade, Freehold Township Regional High School; RWJ-Hamilton President Richard
Freeman; Third Place Runner-up Brynna Fisher, 10th Grade, Princeton Day School; Honorable Mention-
Photography winner Cece McCarthy, 12th Grade, Red Bank Regional High School; First Place Runner-up Micayla
Augustyn, 12th Grade, Wall High School; Best in Show winner Jordan Heine, 11th Grade, Wall High School, and;
Rep. Chris Smith’s District Director, Jeff Sagnip.

DEDICATED ARTISTS JUDGE CONTEST - The 2022 judges were Debbie Jencsik of
Ocean County, N.J.; Jim Inzero, also of Ocean County, N.J., and; Rich Thompson of Mercer
County, N.J. judging was on May 6.


Winning Artwork for 2018

"American Graffiti," by Jordan Heine won Best in Show and will be shown in a national exhibit in Washington for one year.

"Dog Daze of Summer," by Micayla Augustyn of Wall, NJ took home First Place Runner-Up.

Second Place Runner Up was "City Hall," by Kylie Frew of Freehold NJ.

"Point of Construction" by Princeton Day School student Brynna Fisher of Hamilton, NJ won third place runner-up.

An Honorable Mention was given to "Empowering the Bully Breed with Flowers," by Sarah Fakult of Freehold, NJ.

Judges gave an Honorable Mention to "Savion," by Keon Cooper.

An Honorable Mention went to "Sky Light," by CeCe McCarthy of Red Bank, NJ.

Judges awarded an Honorable Mention to Sea's Sick, by Gazal Mathur of Robbinsville, NJ.

 
2017 Art Competition

2017 winners Linda Ting of High Tech High School; Tallia Maglione, Dylan Hemmer, Courtney Pasterchick, Leanne Donnelly all of Wall High; Laura Brewer of Point Pleasant Borough High, and; Micayla Augustyn of Wall High.

Click here to see the announcement of winners and Slide Show photos at the 2017 show.

Best in Show – "The Carousel" (acrylic on board) by Tallia Maglione - Wall High School - Grade 12
1st Place Runner-up – "Memory Lane"  (acrylic on canvas) by Linda Ting - High Tech High School - Grade 11
2nd Place – "Music for the Troops" (charcoal) by Courtney Pasterchick - Wall Township High School - Grade 12
3rd Place – "Animal Farm" (scratchboard) by Leanne Donnelly- Wall High School - Grade 12
Honorable Mention – "Happy Bird-Day" (colored pencil) by Micayla Augustyn - Wall Township High School - Grade 11
Honorable Mention - "Donuts" (colored pencil and acrylic on paper) by Dylan Hemmer - Wall High School - Grade 11
Honorable Mention-  “Death Valley” (acrylic) by Laura Brewer - Point Pleasant Borough High School, Grade 11

RWJ-Hamilton President and CEO Richard Freeman, on left, helps present 2017 Best in Show winner Tallia Maglione, center, a 12th Grader at Wall High School, with the blue ribbon and a congressional certificate.

Winning Artwork for 2017

Best in Show at Cong. Smith's art show was The Carousel by Tallia Maglione of Wall High School.

Memory Lane by Linda Ting of Holmdel was 1st Runner-up at Cong. Smith's annual art competition. Linda attends High Tech High School.

Music for the Troops by Courtney Pasterchick of Wall High School won 2nd Place runner-up.

Animal Farm by Leanne Donnelly at Wall High School took 2nd place Runner-up at Rep. Smith's annual Congressional Art Competition.

Death Valley by Laura Brewer of Point Pleasant Borough High earned Honorable Mention.

An Honorable Mention went to Dylan Hemmer of Wall High School for his work Doughnuts.

Happy Bird Day by Micayla Augustyn of Wall High School earned an Honorable Mention.

Information about the 2017 Congressional Art Competition

Click here to view all New Jersey winners.
Click here to view all national winners.

The process for submitting entries begins in February or March of each year. In 2017, the deadline to submit all artwork and
accompanying required forms was April 18. All artwork was to brought to RWJ-Hamilton to be judged by professional artists.  
The 2017 judges were Debbie Jencsik of Ocean County, N.J.; Jim Inzero, also of Ocean County, N.J., and; Rich Thompson of
Mercer County, N.J. Click here for a summary about the 2017 judges. For the first time, in coordination with the RWJ-Hamilton,
I invited the judges to exhibit their own talented  artwork.
 

Best in Show – "American Jazz" (colored pencil) by Maeve Crane- Wall High School - Grade 12
1st Place Runner-up – “Chilled"  (pencil) by Kaela Rogers- Point Pleasant Borough High School - Grade 12
2nd Place – “4 Piece Happy Meal" (colored pencil ) by Micayla Augustyn- Wall Township High School - Grade 10
3rd Place – "Bottle Still Life" (white charcoal) by Nicolette Keale- Wall High School - Grade 12
Honorable Mention – "Interior Space" (ebony pencil) by Taylor Cuozzo- Freehold Township High School - Grade 11

2016 NJ04 Congressional Art Winners (L-R): Micayla Augustyn, 10th Grade, Wall High School; Maeve Crane, 12th Grade, Wall HS; Taylor Cuozzo, 11th Grade, Red Bank Regional; Nicolette Keale, 12th Grade, Wall HS, and; Kaela Rogers, 12th Grade, Point Pleasant Borough High School.

Winning Artwork for 2016 

Maeve Crane of Wall High School took the top honors of Best in Show

Best in Show – "American Jazz" by Maeve Crane of Wall, NJ

The First Place Runner-up for 2016 was Kaela Rogers, a 12th-Grader, at Point Pleasant Borough High School. Her work was entitled “Chilled” done in pencil.

2016 Second Place Runner-up was Micayla Augustyn 10th Grade, Wall High School for her work "4 Piece Happy Meal" in colored pencil.

Third Place Runner-up for 2016 was Nicolette Keale, a 12th-Grader at Wall High School, for her artwork "Bottle Still Life," in white charcoal.

Honorable Mention was awarded to Taylor Cuozzo, an 11th Grader at Red Bank Regional High School Interior Space in ebony pencil.

View All New Jersey Winners

View National Winners

Best in Show – "Grandpa Tony" (acrylic) by Dominique Trotte - Howell High School - Grade 12
1st Place – “Scrabble Tiles"  (color pencil) by Alyssa Bartlett - Wall High School - Grade 11
2nd Place – “Field Journal" (pencil and charcoal) by Andrea Dumalagan - Freehold Township High School - Grade 11
3rd Place – "Convention Hall" (acrylic on canvas)  by Angel Ramos - Wall High School - Grade 12
Honorable Mention – "Coast" by Jorge Cortes-Breistan - Freehold Township High School - Grade 11 - watercolor

Winning Artwork for 2015

TOP WINNER: 2015 Best in Show was "Grandpa Tony" by Dominique Trotte of Howell High School 12th Grade.

"Scrabble Tiles" by Alyssa Bartlett of Wall High School, Grade 11.

"Field Journal" by Andrea Dumalagan of Freehold Twp High School, Grade 11.

"Convention Hall" by Angel Ramos of Wall High School, Grade 12.

"Coast" by Jorge Cortes-Breistan of Freehold Twp High School, Grade 11.

Winning 2014 Artwork 


ABOVE: Best in Show, “The Understanding” by Artemis Tapliga of Wall, N.J.

“Bella” by Natalie Russell

“Barber Shop” by Kyle Wainwright

“Mom’s Kitchen” by Melissa Sandoval

“Confidence Shows” by Paige Clarke

2013 Winner Best in Show, "It's a Harsh World My Dear" by Lucy Wang

• Best in Show (displayed in Washington, DC) – Larissa Naegele  “ Blume” pencil self-portrait – Wall High School – 12^th grade;
• 1^st Place – Artemis Tapliga “Liberation of Letting Go” colored pencil – Wall  High School – 10^th grade (last years winner);
• 2^nd Place – Mitch Douglas “A New Jersey Winter Evening” oil on canvas – Howell High School – 12^th grade;
• 3^rd Place – Brie Mueller “Baritone Self-Portrait” Chalk Pastel – Wall High School – 12^th grade, and;
• Honorable Mention – Michael Read “Reflection” photograph – Manasquan High School – 12^th grade.