Winners – L-R, Abby Carnley, 2-3, Zion Chapel Elementary; Chloe Mejia, 4-5, Harrand Creek Elementary; and Gracie Fell, K-1, Newton Elementary. (Linda Brannon/Alabama NewsCenter)

Hundreds of elementary schools students in Coffee and Dale counties put their knowledge and creativity together on paper during Alabama Power’s Refrigerator Art contest, leaving those in charge of choosing the best with a daunting challenge.

“It was very difficult to select only one winner from each group,” said commercial artist Eddie LeRoy, one of the contest judges. “I hated I could only pick one because there were a lot of great entries.”

But select they did, with the winners proclaimed Friday during an awards celebration at the Daleville Cultural Arts Center. Fifteen elementary school finalists from Coffee and Dale county schools were honored at the event.

“We had over 500 entries,” said Katie Thomas, Alabama Power community relations specialist. “We were very excited about the response to the program and the participation from the students and schools.”

Parents admire the artwork of Refrigerator Art students. (Linda Brannon/Alabama NewsCenter)

In an effort to promote arts education, Alabama Power partnered with Whirlpool, which donated six refrigerators given as prizes. The winner from each of the three age categories, grades K-1; 2-3; and 4-5, received a refrigerator for their families, while their schools also received a refrigerator.

“Whirlpool, like Alabama Power, has long supported arts education, and we were happy to be a part of this exciting program,” said Scott Uding, Whirlpool representative.

The contest themes were tailored to the grade levels. Students competing in the K-1 category were asked to include numbers in their artwork. The second- and third-graders drew an invention they imagined, while the fourth- and fifth-graders drew a famous scientist and/or their discovery or invention.

A panel of five representatives from the Wiregrass Museum of Art and the Dothan Cultural Arts Center selected the 15 finalists. LeRoy, who lives in Eufaula, selected the three winners from the finalists. A commercial artist for more than 30 years, LeRoy’s work has been selected to appear on three Alabama duck stamps. He also recently completed a wildlife mural in downtown Dothan.

Melissa Rae of the Wiregrass Museum of Art presented the winners with a one-year family membership to the museum. “We are very appreciative to be asked to participate,” Rae said. “We look forward to having the winners’ families join us as members of the museum.”

The top student artists were Gracie Fell, Newton Elementary, grades K-1 winner; Abby Carnley, Zion Chapel Elementary, grades 2-3 winner; and Chloe Mejia, Harrand Creek Elementary, grades 4-5 winner.

Other finalists were: K-1, Katherine Staffiero of Newton Elementary, Drew Segall of Pinedale Elementary, Josh Garrett of Ariton Elementary and Grant Jones of Ariton Elementary; 2-3, Addison Mullins of Holly Hill Elementary, Tyler McGuffey of Pinedale Elementary, Aleta Reeves of Midland City Elementary and Brynn Formosa of Harrand Creek Elementary; 4-5, Isabella Barnes of Mixon Elementary, Shayleigh Whitman of Newton Elementary, Jamirrea Herring of Mixon Elementary and Tristan Stuckey of Mixon Elementary.