During the school year, USD 322 art teacher Mrs. Becky Becker submitted
student artwork to the Congressional Art Competition, as she has done for several
years. This year, OHS student Alyssa Rager was selected as the 2025 Congressional
Art Competition winner, earning her a trip to the nation’s capital and the prestigious
honor of having her artwork displayed in the halls of the U.S. Capitol.
In June, Rager traveled to Washington, D.C., with her parents, Dustin and
Michelle Rager. Along with meeting U.S. Congressman Tracey Mann, the family took
the opportunity to tour many of the city’s monuments and memorials.
“I really enjoyed the War and Entertainment exhibits, but the one thing that left
me absolutely speechless was a flag they had preserved—not just any flag, but the
original flag that flew over Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote The Star-
Spangled Banner,” said Rager. “I could just feel the history radiating off the flag, and it
left me with an immense sense of pride in our country.”
The trip created lasting memories for Rager and her family. “Dustin and I felt so
fortunate to take Alyssa to Washington, D.C., in June to celebrate her Congressional Art
Competition win,” said her mother, Michelle Rager. “Attending the celebration at the
U.S. Capitol with other winners from across the United States and seeing Alyssa’s
photo displayed in the Cannon Tunnel at the Capitol were the highlights of our trip. We
will always be thankful for this experience and the memories we made.”
By Staci Claycamp, teacher at OHS