PHOENIX — In a twist of fate, Valley teen Riley Hammett discovered her true calling while creating the winning logo for Arizona’s celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Known for her artistic flair, Riley’s talents have mostly been showcased through painting, sculpting, and her vibrant nail art Instagram account.
When the state announced a contest for students to design Arizona’s official AZ250 logo, Riley, who had never tried graphic design, decided to give it a shot. Little did she know, this leap of faith would reshape her future.
Watch the full story from Cameron Polom in the video player above.
See more from Uplifting Arizona:
![](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/617396a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x720+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcf.cdn.uplynk.com%2Fause1%2Fslices%2F773%2F5c3d34b8b29a45469a86c02775b7a2cf%2F77319931db98488185a8fd51c74d14ad%2Fposter_1b7b4679c63a44b0bde9766a417713a0.jpg)
Take a shelter pup on a doggy field trip and help them find forever homes!
![](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d08aa60/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x720+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcf.cdn.uplynk.com%2Fause1%2Fslices%2Fdc6%2F5c3d34b8b29a45469a86c02775b7a2cf%2Fdc6c0629773f4bc3bd83d149b01af7a5%2Fposter_6958ccda20d64770a9e94635919618dc.jpg)
Valley principal awarded $25,000
![](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/36d3320/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x720+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcf.cdn.uplynk.com%2Fausw2%2Fslices%2Fe91%2F5c3d34b8b29a45469a86c02775b7a2cf%2Fe915498fee5044cd868995ebd28cab79%2Fposter_fa8b9aa242f14fd0ba275ef9e57be70a.jpg)
Passing water truck helps stop car fire along I-10
![](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/0aa6145/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x720+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcf.cdn.uplynk.com%2Fause1%2Fslices%2Fbf7%2F5c3d34b8b29a45469a86c02775b7a2cf%2Fbf79632707c7489cac9498845e04c5fd%2Fposter_8d9c3a8d796a470db6ed9cc5ba8cebf7.jpg)
Valley couple's nonprofit honoring daughter who fought cancer expands reach
![](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9e9f0b8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x720+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcf.cdn.uplynk.com%2Fause1%2Fslices%2F570%2F5c3d34b8b29a45469a86c02775b7a2cf%2F5702076ba1ab4050ae631b4187ef799b%2Fposter_aeda07f115564e5583d5f679783571f9.jpg)
Dated VFW Post 720 gets much-needed renovations, becomes sanctuary for healing
![](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/fb/20/1dc6d69f4aa6af6092ad5fb831a7/microsoftteams-image-32.png)