Reagan Middle School sixth-grader Jacob Corning has won the 25th annual Illinois Arts Education Week poster contest, and will be feted Tuesday at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Jacob's painting of five cats, done as an art class assignment last fall, was chosen from among 200 other entries statewide submitted by students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

His teacher, Debbie Thompson, submitted it and two other students' works to the competition.

"I don't think you can look at (his painting) and not smile," Thompson said.

About 10,000 copies of the poster will be distributed to schools throughout the state, and a framed copy of the poster will be displayed in the office area of the Illinois State Superintendent of Education in Springfield.

At the ceremony, Jacob, son Doug and Tracey Corning, will receive a framed certificate and will sign copies of the poster. The morning of March 17, he also will be signing posters in the morning at The Next Picture Show, 113 W. First St., where he'll be the gallery's featured artist.

Jacob isn't letting any of this attention go to his head, despite family members' insistence that he's famous now.

"If I was famous, it would be the whole world, not just the state," he said.

In fact, Jacob hasn't even told many of his friends about his accomplishment.

"They're just going to have to find out by walking through the halls," where his poster will be on display all next week, he said.

Arts Education Week, March 11-17, is sponsored by the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Alliance of Art Education and the Governor's Office.