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Kearney Junior High

KJH Artist Emerrie Paalhar Wins SC Johnson “Happy Hands” Contest!

Posted Date: 04/23/26 (01:16 PM)
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A woman in a purple Kearney Bulldogs shirt and a young woman in a red tank top hold a certificate for the SC Johnson Happy Hands 2026 Dispenser Design Contest Grand Prize Winner.
We have some fantastic news to celebrate from Kearney Junior High!

Emerrie Paalhar, a KJH 9th grader, has been named the grand prize winner in the SC Johnson Professional® “Happy Hands” contest (Grades 6–12 category). Emerrie’s design stood out from entries submitted by schools across the country, and we couldn’t be prouder.

As part of the grand prize, SC Johnson Professional® is providing:

  • A $1,000 donation to Kearney Junior High
  • A $300 gift card for Emerrie
  • Up to 1,000 manual hand care dispensers featuring Emerrie’s winning design to be made available to our school
This is an incredible accomplishment for Emerrie and a wonderful moment for our KJH art program. Congratulations, Emerrie!

(Shout-out as well to KJH Art Teacher Rayma McKinney for encouraging students to share their creativity through opportunities like this.)