Seven-year-old Maryland girl wins annual art contest
July 2025
Maryland third-grader Kyleigh Wolf’s winning entry is an artistic depiction of the phrase “One Nation Under God.”
by Laura Emery, Staff Writer
The 23rd annual Cooperative Living Youth Art Contest Best in Show winner is Kyleigh Wolf of Hurlock, Md.
For the 2025 contest, kindergarten through fifth grade students were asked to portray visual interpretations of the theme, “What Makes America Beautiful.” The winning entry was selected from a diverse range of submissions by young artists in Virginia and Maryland. There were entries featuring Washington, D.C., landmarks, the American eagle, various depictions of religious freedom, scenes from different areas of the U.S., and more.
Kyleigh, 7, is a rising third-grade homeschooled student. Her parents, Landon and Brittney Wolf, are members of Choptank Electric Cooperative. Brittney says, “Kyleigh was very surprised and smiled big when we told her she had won the contest.”
The winning entry was an artistic depiction of the phrase: “One Nation Under God.” Kyleigh says she had to think about what to draw “for a while,” and then she worked on it for a few days. “I love Jesus, and America is a place where all people are free to love Jesus, and that’s what makes America beautiful,” she explains. When asked what part of the U.S. she’d most like to visit, Kyleigh chose Florida. “I’d like to go there and see what a beach looks like there,” she says.
The competition was blindly judged by staff members of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, publisher of Cooperative Living magazine. First place winners in each category receive a $25 cash prize, while the Best in Show winner receives a $100 prize. “I will have to pray about it, so I know the right thing to spend the gift card on. I may even share with my brothers,” she says.
Kyleigh’s parents say they are always very impressed with how their daughter takes the time to put thought into her work. “She loves the Lord and all people — and that’s what makes her special. We love how she portrays this through her art,” Brittney says. Compassionate, kind and courageous are the words used by Kyleigh’s parents to describe their daughter.
The Wolf family enjoys reading Cooperative Living and being members of an electric cooperative. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication Choptank Electric Cooperative puts into providing affordable electric service to us,” Brittney explains. Says Choptank’s President and CEO Mike Malandro, “I continue to be amazed at the patriotism and talent of our youth. It makes me proud to be part of the Choptank community.”
Kyleigh loves gymnastics, coloring/art, reading and collecting rocks. “I like rocks that sparkle in the sun. I have a lot of geodes and rare rocks,” she says, explaining that she has “worked really hard” and amassed an impressive collection of nearly 1,000 rocks. “She’s always collecting, buying, painting and admiring rocks everywhere we go,” Brittney says. “Kyleigh is also a fantastic big sister and loves playing with her two younger brothers. She also loves farming and helping on our family farm.”
Ruby, Princess, Moonlight, Starlight and Luna are the names of Kyleigh’s adult chickens. Princess is her favorite. “I feed them and run around and chase them in the yard,” she says. She also loves helping her parents with the crops and tending to her strawberry patch.
“My favorite subjects are language arts, art and history. I love to read, and I love learning things about people in American history,” Kyleigh says.
“I’m proud to be an American because we live in a country where we have the freedom to love each other and love God.”
On behalf of the magazine staff, Cooperative Living Editor Gregg MacDonald says, “Thank you to all our 2025 Youth Art Contest contestants!”
YOUTH ART CONTEST WINNERS
KINDERGARTEN — 2ND GRADE WINNERS:
FIRST: Hope Wolfe, 2nd grade
SECOND: Warren Thomas, Kindergarten
THIRD: Waverly Ohta, Kindergarten
3RD GRADE — 5TH GRADE WINNERS:
FIRST: Amanda Knight, 5th Grade
SECOND: Celina Park, 5th Grade
THIRD: Harper Roberts, 5th Grade
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
- Bethany Brun
- Caleb Hrabak
- Cody Ray Wolf
- Daniel Morris
- Decker Winn
- Jack Garrett
- Jack Kotula
- Jersey Dunham
- Jyotsna Navin
- Kamila Ha
- Kennedy Smith
- Lydia Brashers
- Mercy Showalter
- Mya Trumble
- Olivia Hrabak
- Stella Gallimore
- Walker Gallimore