photo by: Winston Alexander

"Painting apples," a photo taken by Sunset Hill Elementary's Winston Alexander (pictured in the foreground), won first place in the Kansas Historical Society's annual "Happy Birthday, Kansas!" student photo contest.

Lawrence first grader Winston Alexander won first place for his grade level in the Kansas Historical Society’s annual “Happy Birthday, Kansas!” student photo contest.

This year’s theme for the contest was “Going to school in Kansas.” Winston used the self-timer mode on his grandmother’s phone to take his self-portrait while painting apples in art class at Sunset Hill Elementary, his father, Travis Alexander, said in an email. Winston is pictured in yellow in the forefront of the photo.

Winston’s grandmother, Ann Alexander, said Winston loved using people’s phones to take photos. He took about 30 pictures with his grandmother’s phone that day at school and narrowed those down to five, which he entered in the contest. Alexander said he kept asking himself, “(Do) I like this design, and does it represent going to school in Kansas?”

She hopes he will continue submitting photos to the contest in future years, calling him “a natural” photographer. The contest is open for students from first through 12th grade.

Last year, no students from Douglas County applied. This year, 10 did. There were 777 entries statewide from 48 counties.

Winston will go to the Kansas State Capitol Wednesday to be part of the Kansas Day celebrations. First-place winners in each grade level will receive iPads, and second-place winners will receive Kindles.

Kansas Day commemorates the state’s admission to the Union in 1861.