COOPER CONGRATULATES CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION WINNER FRANCIS TORRES

NASHVILLE-U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper today announced that Francis Torres, a senior at Antioch High School, is the 2008 Congressional Art Competition winner for Tennessee's 5th District.  Torres will have his work, a graphite drawing entitled "The Reunion," displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year starting in late June.

"This is always one of the highlights of my year," said Cooper.  "I am amazed at all the artistic talent of Middle Tennessee students, and frankly a little jealous of them.  Francis' detailed drawing is a wonderful piece of art.  He, his school and everyone in the 5th District should be proud to have it representing us in Washington."

Since it was founded by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, the Congressional Art Competition, entitled, "An Artistic Discovery," has given over 650,000 student artists nationwide the opportunity to have their work displayed in the Capitol exhibit.

In addition to having his artwork shown in the national exhibit in Washington, D.C., Torres will also receive an invitation to attend the exhibit's ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Capitol on June 25, 2008.  Additionally, he will be awarded three round-trip tickets to the event from Southwest Airlines, a private tour of the Capitol and an Artistic Honors Scholarship in the amount of $5,000 to Savannah College of Art and Design.

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Congressman Jim Cooper, Antioch teacher Pat Smith and Francis Torres