CULLMAN, Ala. (AP) -- Fairview freshman Lauryn Tankersley didn't have to look too far for inspiration for her award-winning design for Birmingham Fashion Week's Rising Design Star competition. The 15-year-old channeled Cullman County's poultry industry to beat out teen competitors from across the state and won $500 in scholarship money with her chicken-theme cocktail dress. Tankersley strutted the Birmingham Fashion Week runway earlier this month in a second frock she designed from Grapico cola cans and boxes alongside fellow Fairview Aggie Katy Harrington wearing the dress she made from a chicken feed sack, chicken wire and feathers. "It was cool to win being from a smaller town and getting to be around so many creative people," she said. Tankersley was among four local teens who were named semi-finalists, including Alexis Holmes, 18, of Cullman, Alexus Lindsey, 16, of Fairview and Amber Smith, 16, of Joppa. High school and middle school students were challenged to craft a garment representing one of Alabama's major industries including agriculture, livestock, transportation, technology, fishing, forestry, and mining. Their creative designs had to be made with recycled or alternative materials such as glue, staples, tape, safety pins, and paper clips. The garments were put on display at the Birmingham Museum of Art. "Our mission for the Rising Design Star competition is to encourage and inspire the talented youth throughout the state of Alabama through the creation of wearable pieces of art," said Heidi Elnora, Birmingham Fashion Week founder, in a press release. Tankersley said her chicken-theme garment is a spin on the classic cocktail dress, with a feed bag accented with red feathers along the top and bottom. She attached chicken wire as an overlay and a belt of paper-machete eggs. The outfit included a vintage-style cocktail hat also made out of chicken wire, paper-machete eggs and feathers. After she was selected as a finalist, she had to create a second look from recycled Buffalo Rock Co. materials to walk the runway finale. Tankersley said she had a month to make her second dress from Grapico products. She deconstructed the purple cans, turning them inside-out to form the aluminum into a fitted bodice. "That was the hardest part," she said. "I got a couple of cuts from the metal." She turned the cardboard boxes into a pleated flared skirt and tied the grape theme together by fashioning a grape vine around the neck of dress. "I was a little nervous walking the runway, but it was a lot of fun," she said. "I got to see everything that goes into putting on a runway show." For now, fashion is a hobby for Tankersley who also dances with the Cullman Ballet Company. She plans to use the scholarship money for college in the future. Tankersley's mother, Sherri, said the contest was a very exciting and wonderful experience for her daughter. "The staff at Birmingham Fashion Week were so kind and encouraging to her," Sherri Tankersley said. "I think it is great that they have created such a wonderful event that gives junior high and high school students the opportunity to showcase their creativity and talent."