‘Don’t drive distracted’ Waterville artist wins poster contest

Charli Kossow, age 9, of Waterville won the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s 2021 Distracted Driving Poster Contest. She is the daughter of Amber Atherton and Richard Kossow. Her winning poster reads “Don’t drive distracted. Save lives!” and features a person focusing on their cellphone while driving and an innocent little animal dangerously close to the front of the vehicle. The Faribault Lutheran School third grader received a pizza party for her family, including pizza, cheesy breadsticks, and orange pop, and a $75 Visa gift card for her work—all delivered by Sheriff Brett Mason. According to her mom, Charli will most likely purchase more art supplies with her winnings. The young artist, who was in a severe car accident in May of 2018, decided to enter the contest to encourage all drivers to be safe and alert on the road.