Central Texas student’s artwork is now on display at U.S. Capitol

HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas (KWTX) - A Killeen ISD student will have her artwork gracing the walls of the U.S. Capitol after she won an art contest.

The 2022 Congressional Art competition included 63 student submissions within the State of Texas’ 31st congressional district.

Mikayla Perez, a senior at Harker Heights High School, says she entered the contest after her art teacher recommended it to the class.

She had no artistic background and, in fact, says this was her first art class.

Upon her teacher’s suggestion, she entered a photo that she had previously taken on her cellphone while she was horseback riding near Waco.

At an awards ceremony held at Texas State University-Round Rock, Representative John Carter (TX-31) announced that Perez’s photo, which she named “A Cowboy’s Treasure” had won the contest and will hang in the US Capitol for a year to represent Texas’ 31st Congressional District.

Perez said she was shocked because the photo was not taken with any contest in mind.

“The sun was setting so I was like ‘let me take a picture. This is pretty.’ So I was just taking pictures that whole horse ride, not even thinking anything of it,” Perez said.

“So when they announced that I won I was over the top, still in shock because I never thought it would get to that point.”

Perez and her mother will get to visit the US Capitol in Washington D.C. to see her art at the Capitol.

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