Lawrie submitted a printmaking entry called "Escape" that will hang in a corridor of the U.S. Capitol for one year along with other winning artwork from across the country. He will also be awarded a $5,000 scholarship to Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. The Artistic Honors Scholarship is renewable and is applicable to tuition at the college, and LaTourette said Lawrie can also submit test scores and/or his portfolio for higher scholarship consideration.

In addition, LaTourette said Lawrie and one guest may attend a special opening exhibition in Washington, DC, on June 28, 2007. Members of the arts community attend the ceremony and meet the winning students from around the country. Previous attendees include Tom Cruise, Dean Cain, Billy Baldwin, Sarah Jessica Parker and Joe Pantoliano.

LaTourette said entries from his congressional district were judged by three art department faculty members at Lakeland Community College, and all works were displayed at the college from April 28 to May 3.

"I want to congratulate Joe Lawrie on winning this year’s contest, and I hope the scholarship will allow him to pursue an education in the arts," LaTourette said. "The entries this year were outstanding, and all the students should be very proud of their work."

Second place went to Aurora High School junior Alyssa Johnson for "My Best Friend Has Red Hair," a colored-pencil entry. Third place was awarded to Katie Gill, a junior at Mentor High School, for "Pennies," a colored-pencil work. The fourth-place award went to Gretchen D'Arcangelo, a junior at Notre Dame Cathedral Latin, for a photograph called "Mirror Image."

The second-place winner’s work will hang in LaTourette’s Washington office, and the third-place work will be displayed in his Painesville office. The fourth-place entry will be displayed at LaTourette’s Twinsburg office.