INSIDE: Find out who won the state’s annual competition for kids

Idaho EdNews Staff | 12/12/2025

Two student have been named this year’s winners of the Idaho Department of Education’s annual holiday card contest.

The IDE staff voted to select a winner for each grade level as well as two overall winners from grades K-6 and grades 7-12. The two winning pieces are then featured on the department’s holiday cards and the artists receive cards for their own personal use.

This year, submissions from third grader Elaina Tope of Kootenai Elementary School in the Lake Pend Oreille School District and eighth grader Paityn Goodnight from Summitvue Middle School in the Vallivue School District were selected from a large pool of competitive entries. (Below are the winning cards).

“Choosing winners from so many amazing submissions is always a challenge, and this year was no different,” said Superintendent Debbie Critchfield. “Thank you to every student who participated, and I’m eager to see Elaina and Paityn’s work featured on this year’s department cards!”

This year’s grade level winners are:

Kindergarten: Nathaniel Perez-Rosales, Thomas Jefferson Charter School, Caldwell
First grade: Tulip Hossain, Sage International School, Boise
Second grade: Chloe Cantrell, Thomas Jefferson Charter School, Caldwell
Third grade: Elaina Tope, Kootenai Elementary School, Kootenai
Fourth grade: Abigail Hernandez, Thomas Jefferson Charter School, Caldwell
Fifth grade: Aliza Ricks, Terreton Elementary School, Terreton
Sixth grade: Felicity McClure, Ola Elementary School, Emmett
Seventh grade: Annie Steele, Summitvue Middle School, Caldwell
Eighth grade: Paityn Goodnight, Summitvue Middle School, Caldwell
Ninth grade: Cumorah Carter, Malad High School, Malad City
Tenth grade: Kamray Rodriguez, Idaho Home Learning Academy
Eleventh grade: Vivian Haag, Sandpoint High School, Sandpoint
Twelfth grade: Claire Atkinson, Buhl High School, Buhl