A local student got to meet Jimmy Carter after winning an art contest, which encouraged students to create a birthday card for the ex-president.

Kilough Elementary fifth grader William Cole Dennis traveled with parents to Plains at the end of September after taking second place in the national contest. Dennis was chosen from about 20,000 other entries.

Carter honored Dennis during the annual Plains Peanut Festival on Sept. 26.

Kilough Art Teacher Joy Clark said the honor was well-deserved.

“It’s pretty darn good,” Clark said. “He captured Jimmy Carter’s likeness and everything. He did a good job.”

The portrait of Carter was part of an in-class assignment, which Clark gave to students.

Clark showed students a slideshow about Carter.

“I gave them some pictures that had a couple of photos of him, so they’d know what he looked like, and [Dennis] did a portrait from one of the little black and white photocopied pictures.” she said.