Four Peaks Elementary School student Kallista Johnson, 9, recently brought home the big prize in the AMVETS’ 2013 Americanism Poster Contest, claiming first place in the country for the third grade group.

Now a fourth grade student, Johnson and several of her classmates took part in the annual poster competition last fall.

Johnson’s design did well at the local and statewide levels, then managed to bring home top honors in her grade level, competing against all other top designs from around the country.

“The theme was to get people to start voting,” Johnson explained.

“My whole family tried to come up with an idea until one of us got a ‘ding!’ So then we drew it and it turned out really good.”

Johnson’s design features the word “Vote,” with the V taking the shape of a big check mark. The O features the American flag and a peace sign, the T is a megaphone on a stand and the E is wearing a graduation cap and has a medical bag at its side.

Johnson explained that the various elements of her poster were all chosen to convey specific messages.

“There are people standing united, right there on the V,” Johnson said.

Other messages were to “keep and encourage employment,” hence a construction worker; freedom of religion, represented by an angel flying over the word Vote; “for America to stay strong and keep the peace,” represented by the O; “your vote is your voice,” demonstrated by the megaphone; and that people’s votes can determine how their tax dollars affect education and healthcare, represented by the E.

All told, Johnson said the poster took her about four days or so to complete. When people look at it, she said she hopes the message is pretty obvious.

“I would hope it would make people think they should vote in order to make America a better place,” she said.

She said she was excited to receive the first place national honors, but it wasn’t something she expected.

“My Dad told me and I was like, ‘Aaaaaah, I won first place?’” Johnson said.

“Then I was like, ‘Soooo, what did I win?’”

The answer to that question is $100 in prize money. Johnson said she already knows what she plans to do with it, though her answer might be something of a surprise coming from a fourth grade student.

“I’m going to give it to charity,” Johnson said.

“But I haven’t decided which one yet.”