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Vicksburg student Arthur Davis Jr. honored at BOMA meeting for victory in Artistic Discovery Art Competition
Vicksburg High School student, Arthur Davis Jr., was recently honored by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for winning the 2023 Second Congressional “Artistic Discovery” Art Competition.
On Tuesday, Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. spoke highly of Davis and the importance of acknowledging the achievements of young people. He stressed the need to shift attention away from negative narratives and instead focus on positive stories such as Davis’ achievement.
“We’re going to start recognizing young people for the positive things they do and how they excel in our community,” said Flaggs. “I believe that if we promote young people in a positive way it will overshadow the negative we get.”
The Congressional Institute holds a visual art competition for high school students every year, aimed at recognizing and nurturing artistic talent across the nation and in each congressional district. The competition, known as Artistic Discovery, has been running since 1982 and has had more than 650,000 high school students participate in it.
To participate, students send in their entries to their representative’s office, which are then evaluated by district artists who select the winners. The winning entries are celebrated at a local and national level, with an annual awards ceremony held in Washington, DC. Additionally, the winning artwork is displayed at the U.S. Capitol for a year, providing an excellent platform for young artists to gain recognition for their artistic abilities.
Davis graciously accepted the award, stating the recognition made him feel like a “Black King” and stated that with kingship comes certain responsibilities and expectations.
“If I stick with myself on this point of view, I know I will stay and fulfill the courses that God has prepared for me,” Davis said in closing.
