TOPEKA – Local and area students were among the winners in the "Happy Birthday, Kansas!" Student Photo Contest.
"Kansas Day is a perfect day to celebrate and highlight our students’ creativity, innovation, and talent,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “These students captured what we all love about Kansas - and I am incredibly impressed by their remarkable skills.”
The statewide contest, now in its eighth year, invited students first through 12th grades to shoot photographs based on the theme, Favorite Place in Kansas in 2021. The contest received 506 entries from 38 Kansas counties.
Click below to watch a presentation of all the winners' photos.
The winners in the 2021 photo contest are as follows.
First grade
First place: Estrella Segovia, “Enjoying the Weather,” Walnut Elementary, Emporia
Second place: Ella Strunk, “Ready for Christmas,” St. Andrew’s Elementary, Abilene
Second grade
First place: Alisa Rud, “Yes, We Are Open!,” Andover eCademy, Andover
Second place: Naomi Martin, “4th of July Sunset,” Grand Star Elementary, Gardner
Third grade
First place: Jarett Riley, “Washed Out Creekbed,” Canton-Galva Elementary, Galva
Second place: Amelia Higgins, “My Kansas Wishing Tree,” St. Mary’s Grade School, Salina
Fourth grade
First place: Rebecca Barnhardt, “Beautiful Kansas Sky,” Lebo Elementary, Lebo
Second place: Jorja Beeman, “Cowboy Silhouette,” Madison Elementary, Hamilton
Fifth grade
First place: Ashlynn Buchmann, “Countryside,” Riley County Grade School, Manhattan
Second place: Tanner Riley, “Bison at Maxwell Wildlife Refuge,” Canton-Galva Elementary, Galva
Sixth grade
First place: Grayson Maxwell, “Sunflower in Kansas Wheat Field,” Larned Middle School, Larned
Second place: Kaden SinghDhillon, “Kansas is Sweet,” St. Marys Grade School, St. Marys
Seventh grade
First place: Rachael Barnhardt, “Family Time Checking Cows” Lebo Junior High School, Lebo
Second place: Hazell Horsch, “There’s No Place Like Home,” Our Lady’s Haven, Haven
Eighth grade
First place: Emerson Hoppes, “Carnival,” Canton-Galva Junior/Senior High School, Galva
Second place: Allie Kneisler, “Do You Hear Me?” Lyndon Middle School, Lyndon
Ninth grade
First place: Harlee Tilley, “A Dandy Sunset,” Bucklin High School, Bucklin
Second place: Cora Schamp, “On a Walk with Walter,” Canton-Galva Junior/Senior High, Galva
10th grade
First place: Kaci Dirks, “Wheat Field Beauty,” Rawlins County High School, Ludell
Second place: Regan Hedstrom, “Feeding Time,” Cheney High School, Cheney
11th grade
First place: Johanna Walker, “Game,” Girard High School, Franklin
Second place: Kaitlin Schmidt, “Sundrops” Arkansas City High School, Arkansas City
12th grade
First place: Eric Shapland, “Monument Rocks Chalk Pyramids,” Scott Community High School, Scott City
Second place: Gwen Van Leeuwen, “Keeper of the Plains,” Seaman High School, Topeka
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The above information was provided by the Kansas Governor's Office.