Artwork above by Lottie Schmutz.
U.S. students Lottie Schmutz (Wyoming) and Lalitha Kuchipudi (Virginia) captured first place honors in their respective age categories at the FAI International Young Artists Contest. They are two of the nine artists who placed nationally through the coordinated efforts of the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) Center for Aviation Research & Education and the National Aeronautic Association (NAA).
The FAI announced the 2025 International Young Artist Contest winners earlier this month, and participating countries included Bulgaria, China, France, India, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, Serbia and USA.
Lalitha and Lottie have earned an accolade that many people can only dream of – “Best in the world.” Lalitha was awarded First Place in the Senior category (age 14 – 17) and Lottie was awarded First Place in the Intermediate category (age 10 – 13).
Working under the 2025 theme “Women with Wings,” Kuchipudi’s drawing depicts a young girl dressed in an astronaut’s flight suit, jumping on her bed while erupting in laughter. On the wall behind the girl are posters of astronaut pioneers, including Sally Ride, Valentina Tereshkova, and Jeanette Epps.
“I wanted to focus more on women in aviation, instead of doing a single portrait of one woman. Their influence was really great on kids. I wanted to be an astronaut,” Kuchipudi said.
Greg Campbell, director of the Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV), noted in a press release that he sees the significance of Lalitha Kuchipudi’s accomplishment. “A Virginian represents not just the best of our nation, but the entire world. Our motto that ’Virginia is for Flying Lovers,’ is quickly becoming a fact,” Campbell said.
Kuchipudi was one of three Virginians to win honors at the national competition and advance to the international stage. Andrew Yang, 9, and Aspen Xing, 12, also represented the United States in the art contest.
The international art contest, presented by the FAI, is held annually with a theme that aims to inspire interest in aviation among youth by providing them with a space to express their ideas through art. The NAA is the National Aero Club (NAC) member of the FAI and delegates authority to NASAO, who oversees the event in partnership with the NAA. The contest has introduced air sports to children nationally for decades and continues to inspire the next generation of aviation enthusiasts and athletes through the participation of NASAO’s state members.
View the 2025 U.S. Winners and Entries
View the 2025 International Winning Entries
