Salt River Elementary School student Ava Sixkiller is the winner of the AZ529 Art Contest,Kindergarten division. 

“I like to draw all the time,” said Sixkiller, who is always excited to get the opportunity to draw at school. 

She will receive $529 toward her AZ529 Education Savings Plan, a college savings plan named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code sponsored by the State of Arizona.

Over 900 students participated in the art contest.

State Treasurer Kimberly Yee challenged Arizona students in kindergarten through sixth grade to submit artwork depicting their dream jobs.

Sixkiller told O’odham Action News that her dream job is to be a police officer, working for either the Salt River Police Department or for a police department on the Navajo Nation or Hopi Reservation. 

Her drawing depicted her and SRPD Officer Daniel Brown together. In the middle of the two subjects was a blank “thought bubble” in the shape of a heart, as if she were speaking to Officer Brown.

What words belong in the bubble?

“I would love to be a police officer someday,” said Sixkiller, after putting some thought into it.

She said her family feels happy about her winning the award. 

Sixkiller, her parents, teachers and Officer Brown attended the contest’s award ceremony on Feb. 26 at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix. After the ceremony, her parents let her choose where to eat, at Dave & Busters, which she was excited about.

3 Takeaways:

• Avid drawer Ava Sixkiller put her skills to use to win the AZ529 Art Contest sponsored by the Arizona State Treasurer’s Office.
• The young artist won $529 toward her AZ529 Education Savings Plan.
• The artworks entered into the contest depicted the students’ dream jobs; Sixkiller’s dream job is to be a police officer, like Salt River Police Department Officer Daniel Brown.