The Alta High School junior not only won first place and a $500 scholarship in the "Battle for the Billboard" competition, but his anti-smut-themed creation will grace a space alongside Interstate 15 for one month this summer.

When the billboard company YESCO erects Hy's display, motorists may first laugh, and then think about the damage obsession with pornography can cause. Hy's billboard will show a man kissing his computer screen; behind him will be two crying children.

The message thousands will glimpse? "Porn doesn't affect just you, it affects the whole family."

"I wanted something simple and funny at the same time," Hy says. "I'm really excited [about winning]. This is a shock."

In all, three out of more than 150 high school students who entered the billboard contest won scholarships for their entries. The winners, announced at the state Capitol on Wednesday, were part of a contest sponsored by Communities for Decency and YESCO.

Second place and $300 was awarded to Sherena Weishar, whose mother agreed to be the model for her billboard. The Wasatch High senior's design portrayed her mother as an Internet addict with a computer mouse cord twisted around her hands and a look of bewilderment on her makeup-streaked face.

"The Internet, although it can be wonderful, can also be a sticky place," Weishar said. "People need to be aware of the dangers."

The third-place winner, Alta High School senior Ian Jensen, received $200 for his entry. He also attended a ceremony where Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. signed a proclamation declaring February as White Ribbon Against Pornography month.

Jensen wanted "something visual" for his entry and decided on an illustration of a chalk outline of a body with children's sidewalk chalk next to it. "The Internet is a dangerous place," his billboard warns.

"I was looking for something serious but still associated with children," he said.

Cindy Moreno, the president of Communities for Decency, said there were nearly 150 contest submissions over a three-week period. Originally, only one winner was to be honored, but judges were surprised by the quality of the entries.

"The decision was so hard we decided to have a second and third place," she said, adding that this year's successful debut means there will be another anti-porn billboard contest next year.

Reps. Aaron Tilton, R-Springville, and Michael Noel, R-Kanab, told award ceremony attendees that the Internet poses serious societal risks.

Tilton said contestants learned two important things - "what it means to get involved in the community [and] the difference you can make as an individual."

All three winners plan to continue being active in community causes. "I'd like to submit other artwork" for Communities for Decency, Hy said.

blange@sltrib.com