October 03, 2024 -- Columbus Alternative High School junior Benji Simmons vividly remembers two of her childhood dreams. One dream involved the villain scene with a green sky from Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” and three carrots chasing her. In a different dream, a carrot popped out of a television and chased her. 

Both dreams frightened Simmons as a child, but continue to inspire her as an artist. Last school year, those dreams culminated in her acrylic painting, “Dreams.” Thousands of passersby will see Simmons’ dreams come to life in her piece displayed in the underground tunnel that connects the Verne Riffe Center to the Ohio Statehouse.

“I’m excited to stare at my painting again and walk around and see how other people see it and maybe analyze it more,” Simmons said.

Simmons joins Northland High School senior Isabella Figueroa, Whetstone High School senior Sophia Bender, and recent Columbus Downtown High School graduate Marlene Natividad Trinidad in displaying their art as part of the Ohio House of Representatives High School Student Art Exhibition. One student is selected from each of Ohio’s 99 house districts. 

The Ohio Arts Council, Ohio Educators Association, Ohio Arts Education Association, and Ohio House of Representatives teamed up to launch this exclusive opportunity. Art teachers across Ohio actively apply, with spots filled on a first-come, first-served basis. From each House district, one art teacher is chosen, and they select a student’s artwork for display. Once chosen, the artwork is exhibited for two years. Additionally, each participant earns $100 from the Ohio Arts Education Association.

But it’s about more than just a check. Cat Sheridan, director of the Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery, notes that the exhibition provides a large-scale, tangible reward for the dedication and creativity of young scholars. It also offers a valuable opportunity for exposure.

“This is not the only opportunity, but it’s an important one because of who sees it,” said Sheridan. “Our government officials get to see the talent of our youth and the importance of supporting it in their learning journey.” 

This marks the second time Figueroa has been selected to participate in the exhibition. For her, participation in the exhibition meant truly being among her peers. 

“I really appreciate the chance to have my artwork selected along with the other great artists of Ohio,” Figueroa said. 

For Northland art educator Chris Barr, witnessing the evolution of a student artist is a gift. However, while observing previous Northland students selected to exhibit, he noticed that students often learn something about themselves.

“It’s always fun for my students to see their work amongst their peers in this way,” Barr said. “They get new ideas and realize how talented they truly are.”

Columbus City Schools congratulates our artists on receiving this great honor. The 2026-2028 interest form can be found here.