BOSTON (WHDH) - Local children headed to the Massachusetts State House this week to check out their artwork on display.
Decorating walls inside the building, the drawings and paintings all depict Massachusetts’ new official state dinosaur.
Speaking this week, children said they were excited for the opportunity.
“It’s crazy,” said Emelia Leavitt, an eighth grade artist from Taunton.
State Rep. Jack Lewis was the lawmaker who pushed for the state to have its own designated dinosaur several years ago.
Along the way, he encouraged children like Leavitt to get involved and vote on their favorite dinosaur.
Leavitt ended up as one of more than 35,000 children weighing in, ultimately choosing Podokesaurus Holyokensis as their winner. Podokesaurus Holyokensis later became Massachusetts’ state dinosaur last year.
Leavitt’s art teacher sent her drawing of the dinosaur in for consideration to be included in the new display at the State House two years ago. Leavitt said she recently received a letter telling her the drawing had been chosen.
“I was like ‘What?’” she said “– because I didn’t remember it.”
“But, then looking at it now, I’m like ‘Wow, I could do so much better,” she continued.
Fossils of the “Lizard of Holyoke,” as it has been dubbed, were first discovered at Mount Holyoke back in 1910 by the first woman to ever name and describe a dinosaur.
“If this project inspires just a couple girls to grow up and explore paleontology it would have been all worth it,” Lewis previously said.
A matter of months after Podokesaurus Holyokensis became the state dinosaur, Lewis’ hope may be coming to fruition.
“I’ve gotten into archaeology and anthropology and stuff like that,” Leavitt said. “So, I do appreciate dinosaurs more.”
Artwork from children inspired by the Podokesaurus Holyokensis is scheduled to be on the fourth floor of the State House until at least Friday.
With interest in the display, though, officials said they are looking to extend it.
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