NJ 4th Grade Students Featured At Statewide Prevention Artwork Premier

4/18/2012

 THIRTY NEW JERSEY FOURTH GRADERS HONORED FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING PEER-TO-PEER SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION ARTWORK  

 On Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 30 fourth grade students representing 13 counties were honored for their outstanding drug prevention artwork at an awards ceremony held at the Verizon New Jersey Headquarters in Newark. The Fourth Grade Folder Contest, sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and Verizon New Jersey, challenged fourth grader students to create peer-to-peer substance abuse prevention messages with the theme ‘Fun Things To Do Instead Of Doing Drugs.” Joining the fourth grade finalists (LEFT to RIGHT) is the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, Executive Director Angelo M. Valente, New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Family and Community Relations, Education Specialist Felecia Nace, Barat Foundation, CEO Chandri Barat and Verizon New Jersey, Vice President of Public Affairs Douglas W. Schoenberger.

 
 
NEW JERSEY FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS FEATURED

AT STATEWIDE PREVENTION ARTWORK PREMIERE 

(NEWARK) – Over 8,000 fourth grade students from across New Jersey participated in the Thirteenth Annual Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey/Verizon New Jersey Design a Fourth Grade Folder Contest.  The students from fourth grade classrooms across New Jersey were challenged to create peer-to-peer substance abuse prevention messages. The theme of the contest was “Fun Things to do Instead of Doing Drugs.” 

The artwork of 30 finalists was on display at the Verizon New Jersey headquarters in Newark during a ceremony honoring the finalists and announcing the two grand prize winners: Malk Aziz of Christa McAuliffe School P.S. 28 in Jersey City and Kennedy Christiana of All Saints Catholic Academy in Bayonne. Aziz and Christiana’s peer-to-peer substance abuse prevention artwork will be featured on 35,000 folders that will be distributed to schools throughout New Jersey in September 2012. 

“These fourth graders from around the state are setting tremendous examples for others to follow,” said Dennis Bone, president of Verizon New Jersey.  “With their creativity and enthusiasm, they are to be commended for delivering compelling messages through their artwork to other students about enjoying a healthy life without drugs.  Thanks to The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, this contest helps children and teens understand that there are alternatives to drugs that are fun and rewarding.” 

“The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey has consistently believed that early prevention programs like the Fourth Grade Folder Contest, are effective ways to actively engage New Jersey’s young people in selecting and maintaining a drug free, healthy lifestyle,” explained Angelo M. Valente, executive director, Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.

 

Best known for its statewide anti-drug advertising campaign, the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey is a private not-for-profit coalition of professionals from the communications, corporate and government communities whose collective mission is to reduce demand for illicit drugs in New Jersey through media communication.  To date, more than $70 million in broadcast time and print space has been donated to the Partnership’s New Jersey campaign, making it the largest public service advertising campaign in New Jersey’s history. Since its inception the Partnership has garnered 120 Advertising and Public Relations Awards from National, Regional & Statewide Media Organizations. 

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