At Columbia Elementary School, Greishka Bonilla and her teacher Lisa Grice hope residents will vote for Greishka’s poster for cancer prevention. To vote, visit dcdonline.org/Vote/SHADE/1237. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Greishka Bonilla’s artwork for cancer prevention has won a state award. With votes from the community, she has a chance to win nationally.

Bonilla, a student at Columbia Elementary School, designed artwork that won for the state of Alabama in the annual “SunWise with Shade” poster contest.

Shade Foundation of America, The Children’s Skin Cancer Education & Prevention Foundation, is the only national children’s foundation devoted to skin cancer education and prevention. The large number of posters in the contest illustrated precautions that SunWise promotes for skin health, Columbia fifth-grade science teacher Lisa Grice said.

“Judges at the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. and at the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention meeting selected Greishka’s excellent poster as the winner for Alabama,” Grice said.

Now, Greishka’s poster will compete against other state winners for the national title. “Voting is open to the public,” Grice said.

To vote for Greishka, visit dcdonline.org/Vote/SHADE/1237. In the “Voter Id” box, type “vote 14.” Click the box for age, and click “Alabama.” Click “Vote” and confirm your selection.

Voting is open until May 8 at 10:59 p.m. CDT. “Thanks for helping our very own, Greishka Bonilla,” Grice said.

For healthy skin, the Sunwise Foundation urges individuals to avoid sunburns from sun tanning and tanning beds. Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 to SPF 30. Individuals should wear protective clothes, including a hat, sunglasses and full-length clothing.

Established in 2002, the foundation is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization. The founder, Shonda Schilling, endured a public battle with malignant melanoma. The foundation’s mission is to prevent skin cancer and eradicate melanoma with education of children, parents, educators and communities across the United States.

For more information, visit shadefoundation.org.