Champ
but it was really fun.”
Aarya said drawing and coloring are passions of hers, and winning a competition with her creativity and artwork gives her a sense of joy and pride.
After each phase, people voted on their favorite story, and the partners created an interactive video narrated by Bindi Irwin, daughter of late Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin, which premiered worldwide Oct. 12.
Viewers can watch the interactive video and choose between two options at the end for the next adventure. Aarya’s stories are one of the options at the end of each video.
The 10 finalists of each round received a $50 Schleich prize package.
Schleich and 4-H also made Aarya a standalone video with all of her stories.
“I’m glad I made it in this competition,” she said. “I got to make my own voice and they got to make my animation, so it was really fun. I felt so creative.”
Aarya said the adventure with Leemow the alien was her favorite story to conjure up because it took place in space.
Now that she won the national contest she plans to continue joining writing competitions including a new one she recently found.
She wrote about two horses for this new contest.
“I hope I win it too,” she said.
Anuj Sethi, Aarya’s dad, said he could not be more proud of her.
“She’s very creative in not only writing and drawing, she is also good in music,” he said. “She’s having fun and we’re really proud. We’re excited to see where she goes.”
Dima Amro covers the suburbs for
The Commercial Appeal and can be reached at Dima.amro@commercialappeal.com.