photo by: Addison Driscoll

"Smiling in the Sun" by Addison Driscoll of Free State High School won the top award in the "Animal Life" category in Balfour Yearbooks 2022 Great Shot Photo Contest.

A Free State High School student’s photo of a dog has won a first-place photography award, according to a news release from the school on Friday.

Free State senior Addie Driscoll won the top prize and $500 for her “Smiling in the Sun” photo for the “Animal Life” category from Balfour Yearbooks 2022 Great Shot Photo Contest.

The semi-annual photo competition has two categories, “Emotion” and “Animal Life.” Balfour Publishing awards $2,000 in prizes to the winners, including $500 for the top photo in each category. This year more than 1,200 submissions from around the U.S. were entered in the contest.