A Phoenix 8-year-old placed as one of North America’s top LEGO builders, beating out thousands of entries for building the Sonoran desert out of plastic blocks.

The intricate art features a kayaker on the mighty Colorado River, a miner in search of Arizona’s precious minerals, and a giant vulture soaring over the LEGO depiction of the Grand Canyon State.

”They’re super cool,” said Tobias Camen, while describing the bird native to the Southeast part of the U.S.

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When ABC15 asked Camen how long it took him to put his masterpiece together, he didn’t hesitate when he said, “about 17 hours.”

The West Valley LEGO legend beat out thousands of entries to qualify before taking home the third-place prize in the North American Mini Master Model Builder Competition. Locally, he is believed to be the first to ever place for the Phoenix area.

Camen's entry won four passes to LEGOLAND in Tempe at Arizona Mills Mall.

A 9-year-old from Grapevine, Texas, took home the top prize for his rendition of the Fort Worth Stockyards.

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Perhaps the bigger prize was how these toys are really building blocks for STEM education.

Delanie Dodge, a Master Model Builder at Legoland Discovery Center in Tempe, points out that LEGOs can introduce patience, following instructions, and fine motor skills to reach early tactile proficiency.

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But the more they’re used, the deeper the lesson. Dodge calls the early lessons “secret math.”

”Three plates equal one brick, you start doing a lot of math without you knowing,” she said.

Toys disguised as literal building blocks in education, or as Camen sees them – his future employer.

When asked what he wants to be when he grows up, he said he wants to work at LEGOLAND.

There is another competition coming up in August for a chance to win private lessons with LEGO builders. Learn more here.