This Saturday is the State Elks Hoop Shoot Contest and two local individuals will be making the trek to Grinnell College.

Alivya Smith of Paton-Churdan won the 10-11 year old girls division and Drake Levan of Perry won the 12-13 year old boys division from the district competition in Jefferson earlier this month. Smith describes her initial reaction when she qualified for the state contest.

“I was like super excited and I was very shocked I guess. I mean I’ve been practicing it for a while and I was pretty happy that my work paid off.”

Smith and Levan will get to stay at a hotel and have a free meal provided by the Elks ahead of the contest on Saturday. The winners of each of the six age and gender divisions will move onto the regional contest in Iowa City this March.