Troy Chartier-Vignapiano holds his award, surrounded by friends, family members and Aéropostale’s Scott Birnbaum (l). SOUTH RIVER — What makes thirdgrader Troy Chartier-Vignapiano smile?

That was the question that the 9-year-old had to ask himself when he entered Aéropostale’s “P.S. What Makes You Smile” Tshirt design contest for third-, fourth- and fifth-graders.

“Robots make me smile,” he answered.

And that is what Troy, who attends South River Elementary School, drew — a large robot.

“It took me 15 minutes,” he said of drawing the picture.

Nonetheless, Troy’s drawing beat out more than 7,000 others from students who entered the contest. Those students came from 230 different schools in the New York and New Jersey area. Troy was chosen in the third-grade category.

Troy was awarded a $500 gift card to P.S. from Aéropostale, and the South River Elementary School received a check for $5,000. Every student in the elementary school received a P.S. T-shirt.

Troy also received 100 T-shirts with his design on it, which he distributed to family and friends.

Scott Birnbaum, senior vice president of marketing at Aéropostale Inc., said Troy’s picture stood out.

“Our motto at P.S. from Aéro is having fun, being happy and looking cool. … That is what we try to do all day, and this contest was all about what makes you smile,” he said. “Troy’s robot grabbing the letters ‘P.S.’ with the clouds made us smile.”

Birnbaum along with other representatives of Aéropostale, school Principal Wayne Sherman, Board of Education President Regis Wyluda and the entire third-, fourthand fifth-grade classes filled the middle school cafetorium to cheer on Troy and his accomplishment on March 4. During the assembly, one student from each grade received a P.S. sweatshirt after they answered questions about the contest.

“Out of 7,000 students from 250 different schools, our school with our Troy was chosen. That is pretty special,” Sherman said.

The principal said the $5,000 the school received will be used to support arts and drama activities.

“We’re contemplating additional assemblies and field trips,” he said.

Art teachers Patricia Branche and Mindy Bombach informed the students about the contest in November.

“I made the contest an assignment for my students,” said Branche. “I’m very proud of Troy. He’s very creative and artistic.”

The assignment was not mandatory, and was just for students who were interested, Branche said. Troy was one of approximately 250 students who signed up from her classes, she said.

Also in the audience were Troy’s parents, Nicholas and Suzette Chartier-Vignapiano, and other family members and friends. Troy’s parents said he has been drawing since he could hold a pen.

“We are excited for him,” said Suzette, who wore her son’s designed T-shirt.

Nicholas said Troy impresses them with his drawings.

“He has finished three comic books, which he has been working on for three years … He just loves drawing,” he said.

At the assembly, Birnbaum and Aéro representatives presented Troy with his T-shirt in a frame and a lifesize cutout of his shirt for his classmates to sign.

Troy smiled and pumped his fists up, “Rocky”-style.

“I just like art and wanted to do this,” he said of the contest.

As for what he’s going to do with his $500 gift card, he shrugged and said, “Shopping.”

P.S. from Aéropostale is a new brand from Aéropostale that caters to girls and boys ages 7-12.

“We had a brand for the teenagers, and their younger siblings would ask, ‘Hey, what about us?’ And that is how P.S. from Aéropostale started,” said Birnbaum.