MCDOT announces winners of Ride On bus art contest, features pieces across county
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. () — After reviewing nearly 100 submissions, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCODT) announced the winners of its Ride On bus 50th Anniversary Art Contest.
On Wednesday, a student from Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School was crowned the first-place winner.
Laura Jin's work of art featured streaks of blue, pink, and green, highlighting the Ride On bus's 50 years of service.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | MCDOT hosts art contest to celebrate 50th anniversary of Ride On buses
Honoring Jin's win, MCDOT also gave her a $100 gift card. Her artwork will also be featured across all 400 Ride On buses.
Ava Lutgendorf, a student at North Bethesda Middle School, won second place and a $75 gift card. Hailing from Rocky Hill Middle School, Jenny Gong won third place and a $50 gift card.
Officials said all finalists' art will be featured alongside the top three winners on an art tour around Montgomery County government buildings.
'Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's contest,' said MCDOT Ride On General Manager Phil Mclaughlin. 'Your creativity brought joy and color to MCDOT Ride On's 50th Anniversary celebrations, and we are proud to showcase your work.'
Here is a list of all the finalists from the art contest:
Leia Baudoin, Rocky Hill Middle School
Arzo Rahimi, Takoma Park Middle School
Benjamin Li, Herbert Hoover Middle School
Carina Araujo, Barnesville School of Arts and Sciences
Piper Russell, Thomas W. Pyle Middle School
Saanvi Lanke, Shady Grove Middle School
Ahyoon Kim, Thomas W. Pyle Middle School
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
16 hours ago
- CNN
Last BTS member Suga discharged from South Korean military service, paving way for reunion
Suga, a rapper and songwriter in the global K-pop sensation BTS, has been discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service, marking the official return of all seven members from their enlistment duties. The label confirmed that Suga completed his alternative service duties on Wednesday after using up his remaining leave. His official discharge date is Saturday. BTS' management agency, Big Hit Entertainment, had said earlier that no events were planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding. It is a momentous occasion for fans of the K-pop group BTS. The seven singers of the popular K-pop band plan to reunite as a group sometime in 2025 now that they've finished their service. Last week, BTS superstars RM and V were discharged from South Korea's military after fulfilling their mandatory service. Jimin and Jung Kook were discharged a day later. All four were enlisted in December 2023. Six of the group's seven members served in the army, while Suga fulfilled his duty as a social service agent, an alternative form of military service. Jin, the oldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30. There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group's management agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would fulfill their duties.
CNN
16 hours ago
- CNN
Last BTS member Suga discharged from South Korean military service, paving way for reunion
Suga, a rapper and songwriter in the global K-pop sensation BTS, has been discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service, marking the official return of all seven members from their enlistment duties. The label confirmed that Suga completed his alternative service duties on Wednesday after using up his remaining leave. His official discharge date is Saturday. BTS' management agency, Big Hit Entertainment, had said earlier that no events were planned for Suga's release out of concern for overcrowding. It is a momentous occasion for fans of the K-pop group BTS. The seven singers of the popular K-pop band plan to reunite as a group sometime in 2025 now that they've finished their service. Last week, BTS superstars RM and V were discharged from South Korea's military after fulfilling their mandatory service. Jimin and Jung Kook were discharged a day later. All four were enlisted in December 2023. Six of the group's seven members served in the army, while Suga fulfilled his duty as a social service agent, an alternative form of military service. Jin, the oldest BTS member, was discharged in June 2024. J-Hope was discharged in October. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required by law to perform 18-21 months of military service under a conscription system meant to deter aggression from rival North Korea. The law gives special exemptions to athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers if they have obtained top prizes in certain competitions and are assessed to have enhanced national prestige. K-pop stars and other entertainers aren't subject to such privileges. However, in 2020, BTS postponed their service until age 30 after South Korea's National Assembly revised its Military Service Act, allowing K-pop stars to delay their enlistment until age 30. There was heated public debate in 2022 over whether to offer special exemptions of mandatory military service for BTS members, until the group's management agency announced in October 2022 that all seven members would fulfill their duties.
New York Times
17 hours ago
- New York Times
BTS Is Back Together. Is It Still the King of K-Pop?
After waiting almost 1,000 days, BTS fans around the world rejoiced on Saturday, anticipating a reunion as Suga, the last member of arguably the world's biggest pop band, completed his national service and returned to civilian life. 'Thank you for your patience,' Suga wrote Saturday in a post on social media to the band's legions of fans. Four other band members — RM, V, Jimin, and Jungkook — were discharged last week. Jin and J-hope got out last year. While excitement has been mounting from fans worldwide, a spokeswoman for the band's agency said she could not yet disclose any plans for a group comeback. Nonetheless, some BTS supporters have already been holding parties to celebrate. In the time it took for all seven members to carry out their service, fans worried the group's acclaim and influence might dwindle. Industry experts say male celebrities in South Korea who take a hiatus from public life to enlist often face a decline in popularity. But BTS might be different. 'They're not just idols. They're cultural icons,' says Kim Taeryong, a professor at the K-Culture and Story Contents Research Institute at Kyung Hee University. The group strategically released prerecorded songs and videos throughout the men's time in the military and communicated often with fans on social media. This kept BTS fresh and current in the minds of the public, Professor Kim said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
