By
The National Museum of the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation have announced the winners of the 8th Annual Marine Corps Student Art Competition, which invited students nationwide to explore the theme “Heroes” through original artwork. Winning entries were selected from submissions by students in grades K–12 across the country and will be exhibited at the National Museum of the Marine Corps from June 2026 to June 2027. Award-winning students and their families were recognized during a ceremony at the Museum where the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation will present winners with certificates and cash prizes.
The annual competition encourages students to interpret Marine Corps history, service, sacrifice, and personal heroism through art. Artwork submissions reflected a wide range of subjects, including Marines in combat and humanitarian missions, veterans, military families, service animals, and personal heroes.
The 2026 winner are:
Best in Show
-
Storm Alho, Woodbridge, Virginia, “I Swore I’d Bring You Home” (pictured above)
K–3rd Grade
-
1st Place: Emerald Rice, Quantico, Virginia, “SSgt Reckless”
-
2nd Place: Jaimie Choi, Katy, Texas, “My Brave Navy Dad, My Everyday Hero”
-
3rd Place: Adrian Stephan, Alexandria, Virginia, “SSgt Reckless Salutes”
-
Honorable Mention: Aspyn Rice, Quantico, Virginia, “Opha May Johnson”
4th–6th Grade
-
1st Place: Alex Schadegg, Wylie, Texas, “Defender of the Stripes”
-
2nd Place: Xioelys Bonilla-Marquez, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, “Honor and Sacrifice Beneath the Flag”
-
3rd Place: Maddy Peterson, Triangle, Virginia, “Through the Lens of Sergeant Reckless”
-
Honorable Mention: Hanna Goldberg, Boca Raton, Florida, “Eternal Glory”
7th–9th Grade
-
1st Place: Sam Zviagilsky, Boca Raton, Florida, “I’ve Got You”
-
2nd Place: Brooklyn Johnston, Katy, Texas, “Semper Fi”
-
3rd Place: Addison Hogan, Tiverton, Rhode Island, “Lucca-K458: Three-Legged Hero”
-
Honorable Mention: Caleb Kolesar, Katy, Texas, “Nameless, Not Forgotten”
10th–12th Grade
-
1st Place: Keturah Shewcraft, Farmington Hills, Michigan, “Chesty Puller: Man of Courage”
-
2nd Place: Allison Focht, Lynchburg, Virginia, “Walter C. Monegan (Medal of Honor Recipient)”
-
3rd Place: Vanvi Nguyen, Manassas, Virginia, “The Reason He’s a Hero”
-
Honorable Mention: Carter Hogan, Tiverton, Rhode Island, “Every Marine A Hero”
Special Needs K–6th Grade
-
1st Place: Hannah Gentry, Fredericksburg, Virginia, “Me in the Middle”
-
2nd Place: Noah Gentry, Fredericksburg, Virginia, “Dad Keeps Me Safe”
Special Needs 7th–12th Grade
-
1st Place: Maximilliano Angel, Davie, Florida, “Men”
