NORTH SMITHFIELD – A North Smithfield Middle School student’s depiction of a reindeer has been chosen to serve as the North Smithfield Police Department’s Christmas card this year, following a contest in which officers voted for the image.
Colin Trahan, a 7th grader, created the design in Ms. Mattia’s art class this year.
The department first launched a contest to design their annual card in 2024, opening the competition to North Smithfield Elementary School students.
Everly Lopes, a third grade student at the time, entered the first year’s winning submission, depicting a winter scene with a snowman holding a mug of hot cocoa marked with the department insignia.
The success of the effort led department officials to announce that the card design contest would be a new annual tradition, and this year, it was open to students in grades 5 through 8 at the middle school.
Trahan’s artwork shows a smiling reindeer topped with three ornaments marked “NSPD,” “2025,” and, of course, the artist’s signature, “Colin Trahan.”
The finalized version is marked by the North Smithfield Police Department, adding the words “wishing you a happy holiday.” It notes on the back that Trahan’s artwork received the most votes out of 25 submissions.
The card will now be mailed to every police department in Rhode Island.
NSPD Administrative Asst. Valerie Orellana noted the plan is to rotate the contest each year between the older and younger students at the two schools.
All of the student artwork will be displayed in the lobby of the police department at 575 Smithfield Road through the month of December, and residents are invited to stop in to view the submissions.
