Bala Cynwyd 8-year-old earns spot in national art competition

BALA CYNWYD, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A rising third-grader from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania is having quite the summer so far.

The 8-year-old from Bala Cynwyd is one of three winners of a national art competition.

You might say that creativity is in Leyf Haigh's DNA. His father, Steve, is an artist.

Leyf has been following in his dad's creative footsteps since he was a toddler.

The PA Virtual Charter School student recently created a mixed-media collage painting of an anglerfish, which earned him a spot as one of three national winners in the Stride National Art Competition.

"Surprised, I was pretty surprised," Leyf says.

Mom and dad say they weren't surprised at all.

"He draws and paints literally every single day," says Leyf's mother, Michelle. "At first, he was a little hesitant. I think he didn't really have the confidence that we knew he had. When he sat down with my husband, who's an artist as well, they came up with a little design and then he really got into it. The picture came out amazing."

Leyf's win comes with bragging rights and a prize, of course: a $150 Amazon gift card.

The Stride National Art Competition is open to all school-aged kids across the country.

If you'd like to see the winning piece, Michelle is having it framed and plans to hang it in her Philly barber shop called Mr. of Rittenhouse.