RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation today announced the winners of the 2024 North Carolina Aviation Art Contest, which is hosted to inspire and engage young people in aviation.
NCDOT received entries from 1,646 students in this year’s contest. After weeks of judging and voting, the winners were announced in the following three age groups:
Junior (born 2014-2017):
- 1st – Jasmine Lee of Antioch Elementary School in Matthews
- 2nd – Aaron Chen of Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy in Morrisville
- 3rd -Minseo Son of Pleasant Grove Elementary School in Cary
Intermediate (born 2010-2013):
- 1st – Ellis Gibson of North Buncombe Elementary School in Weaverville
- 2nd – Carolynn Kim of Apex Friendship Elementary School in Apex
- 3rd – Emma Chen of Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy in Charlotte
Senior (born 2006-2009):
- 1st – Isabel Chang of Cary Academy in Cary
- 2nd -Yeji Na of Cary Christian School in Cary
- 3rd – Emma Shin of Green Hope High School in Cary
This year, the top 12 winners in each age group will have their artwork displayed digitally at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh. The winning art can also be viewed on the NCDOT Flickr site.
Judging was based on creativity, adherence to this year’s theme of “Air Sports for a Peaceful World,” and technical quality. The winners were selected after weeks of voting by local art teachers, aviation experts and NCDOT Employees, including NCDOT Secretary Hopkins. The N.C. Airports Association sponsors the statewide contest and provides cash prizes to the winners and their schools.
The top three students in each age division will also have their artwork submitted in the National Aviation Art Contest in Washington, D.C. The national winners will advance to the international competition. Since 2017, 13 of North Carolina’s young artists have placed in the top three in the national competition and three have placed in the top three in the international competition.
Entries this year came from 202 hometowns and 181 schools from 63 counties. A total of 14,495 submissions from 825 schools across 96 counties have been entered in the Aviation Art Contest since 2013.