Way to go! Kelly Obrycki, West Babylon

Kelly Obrycki, a seventh-grader at West Babylon Junior High School, was the first- place winner last month of a T-shirt design contest for the third annual Long Island Run for the Warriors, an annual event that includes 10K and 5K runs and a 1-mile run / walk starting at Babylon Town Hall in Lindenhurst.

Her design was printed on T-shirts worn by more than 2,000 runners and appeared in all promotional materials created for the race.

She also received a plaque at the pre-race dinner on Nov. 13.

"I hoped I was going to win," said Obrycki, 12, who credited her art teacher, Caitlin LaRocco, for supporting her love of art. "I really like to draw. I draw all the time."

Obrycki's design consisted of a combat helmet, U.S. flag and dog tags drawn with red, green and blue-colored pencils and included the words "Hope Beyond Recovery" across the top. Designs were judged based on how well artists expressed their feelings about wounded service members and their sacrifices for our country.

In her spare time, Obrycki enjoys sketching original designs of women's clothing. So far she has completed more than 200 sketches, she said.

Obrycki is also a member of her school's advanced art workshop, and she is in the Girl Scouts.