Mary Margaret Sneed, a third-grader at Pike Liberal Arts School, has been named the winner of the 2016 Troy Fest T-shirt Design Contest.

Catherine Jordan, contest chair, surprised Mary Margaret during a morning class Friday with balloons and the announcement that her Troy Fest T-shirt design will be the official logo of Troy Fest 2016 on April 23 and 24 in downtown Troy. Her design could possibly be seen all around the state and maybe even around the country.

“We are a T-shirt society so, who knows?” Jordan said. “Troy Fest 2016 T-shirts could appear in New York or even Paris. And Mary Margaret might become a super star.”

Mary Margaret laughed at the idea but was outwardly excited that her design has been selected as the T-shirt design for the annual juried arts and crafts festival sponsored by the City of Troy and the Troy Arts Council with support from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Jordan said more nearly 400 entries were submitted in the T-shirt design contest.

The entries were narrowed to five and then a committee selected the winner.

“Winning is a big, big honor and we congratulate Mary Margaret as the winner of the 2016 Troy Fest T-shirt Design Contest. As our winner, she will get the first T-shirt and a lot of other prizes.”

Lola Drinkwater, Covenant Christian School, received first honorable mention recognition and Colton Taylor, Troy Elementary School, received second place, honorable mention.

Jordan congratulated them on the recognitions and thanked them for their participation.

Mary Margaret is the third student in Rachel Woodham’s class at PLAS to win the Troy Fest T-shirt Design Contest in three years. Woodham said the students always enjoy participating in the contest and thanked Jordan and Troy Fest for making the opportunity available.

“I didn’t think that I would win but I’m so happy,” Mary Margaret said. “I love flowers and painted them for my picture. I made them the Auburn colors because my mama likes Auburn. And, I made them sunflowers because I like sunflowers. We planted a lot of sunflowers and I like to walk around in them with my dog.”

Mary Margaret said she has three dogs. One is a half German shepherd.

“I don’t know what one of them is,” she said. “It came up and wouldn’t leave. And I have a turtle named Squirmy.”

The T-shirt design winner said she loves to paint and draw and she loves school.

“I make good grades …sometimes,” she said, with a smile. “My Uncle Johnny (Wright) was a math teacher. He wants me to make good grades in math but sometimes I don’t.”
Mary Margaret, Lola and Colton will be recognized during Troy Fest, at noon April 23 at the Gazebo on the square.

Mary Margaret will receive other prizes, including Troy Fest bucks to spend at the arts and crafts show.