Snow sculpture gives Roy a page in National Geographic

(Photo contributed) This tree hugger snow sculpture by Le Mars native Lara Roy is featured in the National Geographic's special edition of reader submitted photos. Roy submitted the photo and later heard from the magazine's editor in chief that they liked it. [Click to enlarge]

When most college kids are stressed about school and homework they watch TV or play on the computer.

But Lara Roy has a different way of getting away.

"When I get a little stressed or a little bored I go out and make snow sculptures," Roy said.

Roy, a junior at Simpson College in Indianola, said she makes the sculptures because she feels her campus is beautiful and wants other students to look and realize that, too.

Many people don't even know it's her creating the sculptures.

Roy has made many snow creations around campus, but one of a tree hugger really received a lot of attention.

A photo, taken by Roy, of the sculpture earned a spot in the National Geographic's special edition magazine the top 101 photos submitted by readers.

Roy first submitted the tree hugger photograph to the National Geographic website. Each month, a few of the hundreds of photos submitted by readers are put up on the website.

It took Roy a few months to get into the photo album, but after submitting her photo a couple times it made the cut.

Soon after her photo could be viewed on the website, Roy received an email from National Geographic's editor in chief.

The email explained they liked her photo and were interested in putting it into the special edition magazine of submitted photos.

"I replied to the email and gave them a caption for my photo and never heard back from them," Roy said. "So I wasn't even sure if the picture was actually going to be in the magazine."

But in July, Roy received a special package in the mail from National Geographic.

She wasn't home to open it herself because she is working as a church camp counselor this summer.

Her brother, Austin, called her to share the news.

"I jumped up and down and did a little dance," Roy said with a laugh.

Roy said she has been reading National Geographic since she was in third grade.

She began reading the kids edition and, in sixth or seventh grade, changed her subscription to the regular version.

"When I think of National Geographic, it's so prestigious to me. So being a part of that is absolutely amazing," Roy said.

She said although she is not a trained photographer, she thinks her photograph is so poignant because of the caption and the image itself.

The caption with the photo in National Geographic reads: "On warm winter days, I like to have a little fun around Simpson College. I grabbed my friend and set to work for about an hour. I do this to remind people to look up and enjoy the beauty of the world beyond their cell phones and ear buds."

The idea of the tree hugger snow sculpture came from some of Roy's friends from the environmental awareness club on campus. The group stapled "hug a tree" posters on trees.

"I thought the tree hugger would make people take notice of how they are affecting the world and how they treat it," Roy said.

And now with the help of National Geographic, Roy's picture will take that message even farther.