Thousands of children made cards to celebrate Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday. See some of the best

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president and proud peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia, just turned 100 years old and is the first president to do so.

On his birthday, more than 4,000 students from coast to coast got creative and sent hand-drawn birthday cards to honor the former president’s memory.

The event is part of the annual Peanut Festival postcard contest, a contest started nearly 15 years ago by the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains. The competition not only pays tribute to Carter’s political legacy and humanitarian work, but also sheds light on the role of peanuts in Georgia’s economy and history through art.

At the heart of the competition is Courtney Stoops, education specialist at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. This position was created at Carter’s request to support students and teachers across the state.

With Stoops’ help, CNN reached out to the winners of this year’s peanut-themed masterpieces to ask how Carter’s legacy inspired their postcards and shaped their worlds.

Editor’s note — The winners’ answers have been edited for clarity.