BOISE, ID – According to the Idaho Department of Education, third grader Elaina Tope of Kootenai Elementary School in the Lake Pend Oreille School District and eighth grader Paityn Goodnight of Summitvue Middle School in the Vallivue School District were chosen from a large pool of student submissions statewide. Their artwork will be featured on the department’s official holiday cards this year.

Each year, the department invites students across Idaho to submit original artwork for the annual contest. Department staff vote to select winners at each grade level, as well as two overall winners—one from grades K-6 and one from grades 7-12. The two grand prize winners also receive copies of the holiday cards for personal use.

Tope’s winning artwork features a colorful snow globe, while Goodnight’s submission depicts a cozy winter cabin scene.

“Choosing winners from so many amazing submissions is always a challenge,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield said in a statement. She thanked all participating students and said she looked forward to seeing the winning artwork featured on this year’s cards.

Grade-level winners were selected from kindergarten through twelfth grade, representing schools across the state, including Caldwell, Boise, Terreton, Emmett, Sandpoint, Malad City and Buhl. The full list of winners and artwork is available on the Idaho Department of Education’s website.