Way to Go: Emily Jiang, Jericho

A Jericho fifth-grader's illustration won first place statewide in a contest focused on traffic safety.

Emily Jiang, 10, a student at George A. Jackson Elementary School, featured the slogan "Stop for Our Kids" in her design for a bumper sticker. Using colored pencils, she wrote the word "stop" within the shape of a stop sign and put the remaining words in her drawing on the road in front of a school bus.

The contest -- titled "Kids Say Stop!" -- challenged students in kindergarten through fourth grade to create artwork reminding drivers to stop their vehicles when they see a school bus picking up children. It was coordinated by the New York Association for Pupil Transportation.

Jiang's design was printed on bumper stickers to be distributed to schools across New York. She also received $250 and will be featured in the Albany-based association's newsletter.

"I wasn't sure I was going to win, because it was a last-minute thing," Jiang said of her decision to participate last year. "I was happy and surprised. It was a pretty good feeling."

Harry Mierowitz, a fifth-grader at Cantiague Elementary School in Jericho, won second place.

Submissions were judged on their creativity, appearance, originality and overall impact.