Photo by Niamh Coomey Birthday Card Contest winner Zara Harveth called her three friends up on stage to celebrate with her. From left are Brenna Banal, Harveth, Harmonee Lowe and Raven Pettigrew.

BELLAIRE — Bellaire High School senior Zara Harveth won the Belmont Savings Bank 140th anniversary Birthday Card Design contest out of 55 other creative entries from 12 participating Ohio Valley schools in the high school division.

School and bank leadership presented Harveth with the award as a surprise at an assembly Wednesday. Her teacher told Harveth and her friends ahead of time to “dress cute” for school because they would be “making a TikTok.” Little did Harveth know she would soon be on stage with hundreds of her peers cheering for her and her family smiling down on her from the upper balcony.

Harveth’s colorful card design was inspired by Disney’s film “Up,” in which an elderly man ties hundreds of balloons to his home and floats off to another land with a dog sidekick for a great adventure. Harveth’s design depicts Belmont Savings Bank floating upward.

“When I saw the building I just thought of maybe doing the ‘Up’ theme of it floating away with the balloons and then I did the inside with the characters and added a cake for the birthday,” Harveth said.

Harveth’s design was unique because she was the only student in the competition to submit a design for the inside of the card as well as the cover.

In addition to being chosen as the official design for one of the bank’s birthday cards, Harveth also won a t-shirt with her design printed on it and $140.

When Harveth’s name was announced as the winner of the contest, the Belmont High School auditorium erupted into cheers and clapping. Three of Harveth’s best friends, who she shouted out and brought up on stage with her when she won, cheered louder than the rest.

Harveth said she promised her friends ahead of time that if she won she would give them a shout out on stage.

“I like that my friends were cheering for me and then I come up here and I see my family and my teacher and everyone was really nice,” she said.

Though the surprise at the assembly was overwhelming, Harveth was honored by the recognition for her artwork.

“I’m feeling really happy,” Harveth said. “I like that everyone is going to see my artwork and I’m overwhelmed.”

Art is a hobby for Harveth and her favorite class in school. She said she plans on attending college after she graduates this spring, but she is still deciding where she will go.

As for the $140 prize money, Harveth said she plans on saving it and putting it into her bank account.