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MIHS 11th Grader Isabelle Chung Receives Certificate of Excellence for Artwork

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MIHS 11th Grader Isabelle Chung Receives Certificate of Excellence for Artwork
MISD Communications
Swinging Toward Freedom, Isabelle Chung's submission to the ARTEFFECT competition has Sheyann Webb on a swing with the Edmund Pettis Bridge in the background on the right and her speaking with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the background on the right with freedom and equality signs in the lower left.

Mercer Island, WA, June 12, 2026 – Mercer Island High School junior Isabelle Chung has received a Certificate of Excellence in the 2026 International ARTEFFECT Competition for her piece Swinging Toward Freedom.

ARTEFFECT, in its 11th year, is a visual arts education initiative founded by international entrepreneur and philanthropist Lowell Milken. The competition invites students in grades six through 12 worldwide to explore and celebrate the extraordinary stories of individuals who have improved the lives of others.

Isabelle's exceptional talent and hard work on her piece resulted in her selection as a top winner out of thousands of applicants internationally. The annual ARTEFFECT competition provides an opportunity for students to showcase their artistic talents through telling the little-known stories of Unsung Heroes that made a positive and profound impact on the course of history.

Isabelle was one of 46 students from around the world who were recognized for their Unsung Hero artwork submission. Isabelle chose 8-year-old Sheyann Webb as her Unsung Hero.

Isabelle Chungs Swinging Toward Freedom piece with white text of 2026 Certificate of Excellence on a black background and the name of the competition on the bottom in white text on a black gackground.

In the Impact Statement Isabelle submitted with her piece she wrote “My artistic vision for my painting was utilizing a swing to symbolize Sheyann’s childhood innocence and movement toward change. With a swing typically indicating playfulness and safety, it highlights her playful nature, yet this contrasts with the courage and serious commitment that she was able to carry further highlighting her heroism. Using the swing metaphorically, I painted her swinging away from the Edmund Pettus Bridge which symbolizes inequality and fear especially with the strikingly muted and dark colors and instead toward a brighter field filled with warm orange and yellow colors representing equality and hope, including signs like “Freedom Now!”.

Read Isabelle’s full Impact Statement here

View the full list of winners and their artistic submissions here.

Participation in the ARTEFFECT annual competition is free to enter and open to all young artists in grades six through 12. The 12th ARTEFFECT annual competition will open for submissions in October 2026. ARTEFFECT is currently running a new summer competition for high school students focused on Unsung Heroes who were innovators.

Visit the ARTEFFECT website for more information.

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