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Today, Rep. Henry Cuellar announced Krystal Zigmond, a junior at East Central High School in San Antonio, Texas, as the winner of the 2016 Congressional Art Competition for Texas’ 28^th District. Her winning entry is a pen and ink drawing entitled “Who Rescued Who,” which depicts her and her dog shaking hands.

“[My dog] was found on the side of the road in a trash bag. We’ve had her for two years now. It’s amazing how a stray dog can come from nowhere and be the best dog ever,” Zigmond said of her work.

The Congressional Art Competition gives the nation’s young artists the opportunity to compete for the chance to have their work displayed in the United States Capitol Building. Each member of Congress has the opportunity to host a local competition amongst high school students and select the winning entry. Zigmond was selected out of 180 contestants.

“I congratulate Ms. Zigmond on her stunning artwork. Her piece of work truly captivates the bond between a girl and her dog,” said Cuellar. “I am proud of the talent she has amassed at such a young age.

“This is a great accomplishment and she is truly deserving of this recognition. I hope her success inspires other students to create art and strive for excellence,” Cuellar added.

As the winner of the art competition, Zigmond is invited to fly to Washington, D.C. this month, courtesy of Southwest Airlines, where she will attend a reception and ribbon-cutting ceremony with her family and Congressman Cuellar on Thursday, June 23, where her artwork will be displayed.

She also will have the opportunity to meet students from other parts of the country and spend time with Congressman Cuellar and tour the nation’s capital.

"Congratulations to Krystal on this very prestigious award. Knowing her, how hard she has worked, and the amount of time she has invested to become such a skilled artist, makes this award that much more meaningful,” said East Central I.S.D. Superintendent Roland Toscano. “The East Central community is so very proud of her and her outstanding accomplishment."

“When I found out I was so overwhelmed I just started crying, because I never thought I’d win anything like this,” Zigmond said. “I’ve never been to D.C. before. I’m so excited.”

First launched in 1982, this year marks the 34^th anniversary of the Congressional Art Competition.  Since its inauguration, thousands of contests have been held around the country.  Throughout the history of the competition, close to 700,000 high school students have participated in the program.