NJ 4th Grade Students Gather at Verizon HQ for Statewide Art Premier

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2009

Contact:

Michelle Vernuccio

Media Coordinator

Cell: 201-916-1029

E-mail: michelle@drugfreenj.org

NEW JERSEY FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS GATHER AT VERIZON’S HEADQUARTERS

FOR STATEWIDE PREVENTION ART WORK PREMIERE

On Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 30 statewide finalists were honored for their outstanding drug prevention artwork sponsored by the 10th Annual Design a Fourth Grade Folder Contest with the theme “Fun Things to do Instead of Doing Drugs” at a ceremony at Verizon headquarters in Newark, NJ. Joining the fourth grade statewide finalists are sponsors of the contest, (LEFT TO RIGHT) Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director, PDFNJ and Douglas W. Schoenberger, Verizon’s Vice President of Public Affairs 

(NEWARK) – This past school year, over 5,600 students from all parts of the state participated in the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jerseys (PDFNJ)/Verizon Design a Fourth Grade Folder Contest. Fourth grade students were challenged to create anti-drug artwork relating to the theme of the contest: “Fun Things To Do Instead of Doing Drugs.” On Wednesday, April 1, 2009 the artwork of 30 finalists were on display at the Verizon headquarters in Newark. A ceremony honoring the finalists was held and the two grand prize winners were announced: Liam McGarvey of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Berlin and Shannon DesRoches of Saint Peter School in Point Pleasant Beach. The grand prize winning entries’ artwork will be featured on folders and will be distributed to over 40,000 New Jersey fourth grade students.

“We applaud these young people from around the state who came up with very entertaining and creative ways to spend time doing the right things in life and their ideas can be emulated by all,” said Dennis Bone, President of Verizon New Jersey. “The Partnership plays a vital role in this state helping show children and teens that there are alternatives to drugs and those alternatives are fun, rewarding and fulfilling.”

“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,” said Angelo M. Valente, executive director, PDFNJ.

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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 $50 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 over 46 Advertising and Public Relations Awards from National, Regional & Statewide Media Organizations.