A piece of Southern Ohio is on display in the Vice President’s residence in Washington, DC for the month of August.

A photograph by Meghan Bender, an incoming ninth-grader who resides in West Union, was selected by National Geographic and the Second Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, to be on a rotating picture frame inside the residence.

Bender’s photograph, titled “Dare to Sparkle,” of a sparkler from Maysville, KY overlooking a bridge and the Ohio River on the Fourth of July, was chosen along with nine other pictures from children around the world who submitted them to the National Geographic’s kids photography website.

“I was really proud of her,” Audrey Bender, Meghan’s mother, said. “I was really excited for her. I know she has a real talent for this.”

The family learned Meghan’s photograph was a finalist in July and then the good news came on Aug. 1.

“In July the first email said they were considering my picture and then we got the email that it had been accepted on,” Meghan said. “Since I like photography a lot I was kind of screaming and jumping up and down I was so excited.”

Meghan said that even though she’s young, and still with plenty to learn in terms of photography, being selected really is a sense of pride for her and her skills she’s developed since she began taking pictures about a year ago.

“It makes me feel more accomplished as a photographer, even though I’m very much an amateur,” Meghan said. “But I like to be able to tell people about it. It’s really funny when they don’t believe me.”

The picture is currently on display in the living room of the Vice President’s residence and will remain there until the end of the month when 10 new children are selected with the same honor.

Reach Charles Grove at 937-544-2391, cgrove@civitasmedia.com or @WUDefender on Twitter.

Here is Meghan Bender’s winning photograph of a sparkler overlooking the Ohio River on the Fourth of July.
https://www.peoplesdefender.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_4th-of-July-025.jpgHere is Meghan Bender’s winning photograph of a sparkler overlooking the Ohio River on the Fourth of July. Courtesy Photo

By Charles Grove

cgrove@civitasmedia.com