Natalia Wilison is a shy, sweet, talented, and much-loved freshman at Bishop Maginn High School.

While I was there today listening to the prom committee plot what is shaping up to be a great prom (we raised the money for it)  Natalia came in to proudly show her classmates and me her acceptance letter announcer acceptance into the Congressional Art Challenge of 2022.

She was shocked and terrified and thrilled at the same time. She is very humble.

Natalia could hardly believe it (one sample of her art is hanging above her head in the photo.) The school was intensely proud of her, so was Sue Silverstein, her art teacher, and me.

Maria gave her a pep talk about her art.

The kids there are lovely and unique, again and again. I can’t help but love them. Natalia was so proud of representing the school, she was about to burst. She was nervous, but her smile went almost all the way around her head.

Each member of Congress gets to submit one piece of artwork from a school in their district to be displayed for one year in a tunnel leading to the U.S. Capitol.

Natalie’s work will represent  Bishop Maginn High School, a hive of affirmation and creativity, even in its last year. Next week I’m going into Albany to meet Chris Signor, the principal at Catholic High School, the school most of the refugee children will be going to in the fall.

He is much loved by his students and faculty members, he sounds like a lot of fun and is enthusiastic about working with me and the Army Of Good.

I’m pretty excited too about continuing our work of supporting the refugee children and their families.