Kilough Elementary School student Macie Rahn didn't know she would have her art mailed to residents in Northeast Georgia when she drew her picture of a red bird.

"I like fat birds," the first-grader said, giggling. "I was told to draw a bird, but it wasn't on a guide sheet or anything, so I just made it myself, on my own."

But it was her chubby robin that caught the attention of the Elachee Nature Science Center in Gainesville.

"I'm on the advisory board for Elachee and a good friend of mine is the president, Jane White, and she asked me to have our school enter the art contest," said Mandy Smith, Kilough Elementary first-grade teacher. "I talked to our art teacher, Joy Clark, and she was more than willing to have all of the kids participate."

The nature center, which opens its educational campus to students, consists of a 1,400-acre forest nature preserve with 10 miles of hiking trails. The preserve also serves as a plant and animal sanctuary and an outdoor classroom.

Rahn's art was selected to go on the back of a mailer sent out by the art center.

"I was so excited," she said, placing her hands over her mouth in a demonstration of surprise. "I was very, very excited."

Smith said she was excited for Rahn, as well.

"I was so excited that a first-grader here at Kilough won," she said. "Then we had two more beat out Gainesville City Schools and Hall County schools for a place at the center."

Second-grade students Danielle Davies and Sawyer Bearden were also selected to have their art displayed at the center.

Spurred on by her success at such a young age, Rahn said she wants to keep drawing her birds.

"I want to keep doing art," she said. "I like it so much."