Pauldine's winning artwork competed with 40 other submissions from across the state.

Coordinated by the New York State Missing Person Clearinghouse, the contest allowed fifth-graders to design a poster that raised awareness about missing children cases across the country.

Pauldine's poster featured a pencil drawing of a police officer and child, seen from behind. They stand at the end of a winding path that leads to home. It also includes the names of missing children who were later found and reunited with their families and phrase "Don't stop looking, night or day."

In addition to submitting a poster, students were required to write an essay of 100 words or fewer describing their design and why they created it.
Pauldine won a $25 gift card from Michael's Arts and Crafts Store for his second place finish.

May 25th has been marked annually as National Missing Children's Day since 1983. This year's contest theme was "Bring Our Missing Children Home," and contest participants needed to include that phrase somewhere on their poster design.

All posters entered into the contest will be displayed on the Concourse at the Empire State Plaza in Albany during the week of May 25th. The first place poster from the state contest will be submitted in the national competition for judging to be held in April.

According to Fitzhugh Park Fifth-Grade Teacher Nicholas Little, Pauldine and his classmates found out about the award when representatives called the school.

"The contest coordinators called our classroom and they were put on speaker phone to announce the award," said Little. "It was a great surprise for Alix and his classmates."