Plano teenager Adan Silva knows all about the beauty of planting.

His family has a backyard garden, and one of the plants in it is featured in his award-winning photograph, “The Beauty in Planting,” exhibited at the Illinois State Fair.

“The Beauty in Planting” won first place in the 15-18 age group in the State Treasurer’s Cream of the Crop Photo Contest, an annual photo contest showcasing Illinois agriculture. Winning photos are displayed in the Treasurer’s Tent during the Illinois State Fair.

The fair runs through August 18. Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs invited the first-place winners to a reception on August 9 on Agriculture Day at the State Fair.

“The students have demonstrated amazing creativity and talent with these photos,” said Frerichs in announcing the winners. “The images beautifully capture the wonderful diversity of Illinois agriculture.”

The winning photos can be found on the State Treasurer’s website.

Silva, 16, who is just beginning his penultimate year at Plano High School, was pleased with the photo he took, but he had no intention of taking home the grand prize.

“I was pretty confident that I had taken a great photo,” he said. “I didn’t go in expecting to win first place.”

The hands holding the plant in the photo are those of his younger sister Loreli.

“It was her idea to get her hands dirty,” said her mother Elisa.

She is proud of her son’s efforts and that he even decided to take part in the competition.

“I always tell him that you never know unless you try,” said Elisa Silva.

This was the family’s first time attending the Illinois State Fair.

“I fell in love with the people,” said Elisa Silva. “The people were very friendly.”

Students were allowed to submit up to two photos to the contest, and a panel of judges selected the winning entries. The panel of judges included Mary Morgan, Principal Asset Quality & Assurance Officer at Compeer Financial; Scott Rhoads, Regional President of Carrollton Bank; Gary Mueller, Vice President of Havana National Bank; and Riley Wells, Associate Director of Illinois Foundation FFA.

The competition included three age groups – 8-10, 11-14 and 15-18. Top winners received Bright Start scholarships, with first place winners in each age category receiving $1,000, second place winners receiving $500 and third place winners receiving $250.

Frerichs manages the Bright Start college savings plan, which helps families save and invest for college, vocational training, trade school or an apprenticeship. Winning entries will also be featured in the 2024-2025 Ag Invest calendar.

For Silva, photography has become a hobby and he has saved enough money to buy a Canon camera with a telephoto zoom lens.

When he’s not taking photographs, Silva is on the high school soccer team and plays saxophone in the school band.

Silva plans to take part in the competition again next year.

“I have some ideas about what I could do,” he said.