On national display

First, he was vaulting. Then, he was running. Soon enough, Coeur d’Alene junior Connor McMurray will be flying.

McMurray was awarded first place in the 2017 Congressional Art Competition, with the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., to tour the U.S. Capitol, as well as the White House next month.

“I really wanted to go to D.C. for the eighth-grade trip,” McMurray said. “It would have been cool, but I’m glad I didn’t then, because it’s going to be really cool to do it now. It’s going to be an awesome opportunity for my future as well.”

He’ll fly to Washington next month with his mother, with their flight paid for by Southwest Airlines.

“I was at pole vault practice, and was going to get a video of one of my vaults,” McMurray said. “I saw I had a text message from Haline (Anderson in Idaho congressman Raul Labrador’s office), and told me to call her at my nearest opportunity. She was talking to me and I thought I’d have go pick up my art before they threw it away. And then she said I’d won grand prize, so I started running around the track because I couldn’t believe it. I can’t even explain it.”

His artwork “Coeur d’ Le Mineur” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., where national and international visitors will be able to see his drawing from June 2017 to June 2018.

He’ll also receive tours of the Capitol building and the White House.

“With this particular competition, the students of Coeur d’Alene have been very

successful,” Coeur d’Alene High art teacher Terri Leonard said. “Really, with each competition they’ve done this year.”

It is the seventh time in the last 12 years a CHS student has been selected to have artwork displayed at the Capitol.

Unlike 2006 — the first year a student from Coeur d’Alene won — Leonard won’t be able to make the trip.

“That year they included me, and Butch Otter was our congressman at the time,” Leonard said. “And he and his office gave us an MVP tour, complete with a car to take us to the different places and all the national monuments, and to the front of the line. They treated us like we were VIPs. I’m really excited for Connor and his family to get to experience this. And it’s going to be great for him next year when he’s applying for scholarships when he’s a senior to list under honors and awards that his art is hanging in the Capitol. I’m really proud of him and pleased that he’s got this opportunity. He’s worked very hard for this.”

“What makes it especially exciting for our students is that their artwork is displayed for a full year,” Leonard said. “They’ll be treated to a tour of the Capitol and they’ve added a tour of the White House. Normally, it takes three months for approval of someone to do that, but this time he’ll get a personalized tour.”

McMurray chose mining because of its history in this region.

“I know that Idaho has a big history in mining, especially in the Silver Valley,” McMurray said. “I don’t know how the rest of Congressional District No. 1 is, or the rest of Idaho, but I know North Idaho does. For the face, I just did my dad’s, my friend’s dad’s face and my pole vault coach’s face. It was a collection of them put together.”

Labrador chose the piece personally to represent Idaho in the competition.

“There were entries submitted to all three of his different offices around the state,” Leonard said. “There’s one here, Lewiston and Meridian. And there was an online judging with one vote each.”

“It’s huge,” Leonard. “I was lucky enough the first time we won to get to travel with the student. I got to see what the entire experience was about, and could talk about how big of an honor and achievement this really is.”

While there’s no monetary prize, McMurray is pleased nonetheless.

“There’s no specific scholarship award,” McMurray said. “But I can put it under honors and awards next year on scholarships, so that should help me a lot. The free flight to Washington, D.C., is enough for me.”

McMurray added he has no doubts someone else in his class will follow to D.C. next year.

“I’m not sure I’m eligible again next year,” McMurray said. “But I’m sure someone else in this class will win it next year. They’re so incredibly talented. It’s awesome. Thank you, Mrs. Leonard, so much. She teaches you so many skills. It’s amazing.”