2011 Hudson Co. Shout Down Drugs Contest Results!

3/24/2011

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                                                               
Contact:                                                                                                                
Michelle Vernuccio, PDFNJ                                    
Media Coordinator                                                                                                                                                     
Phone: 973.467.2100, ext. 24

 

Hudson County High School Students Shout Down Drugs at Newport Centre

 Hudson County High School Students Shout Down Drugs at Newport Centre

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and United Way of Hudson County Awards

McNair Academic High School Student $1,000 Music Contract

JERSEY CITY, NJ ------ Hundreds of Newport Centre Shoppers applauded 13 musically talented Hudson County high school students in the 10th Annual Hudson County Shout Down Drugs music competition on Thursday, March 24, 2011 in the center court at Newport Centre in Jersey City.

 

Hudson County high school students from Harrison, Jersey City and Union City created original music and lyrics with peer-to-peer drug prevention messages. The Hudson County Shout Down Drugs music competition is sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) and United Way of Hudson County.

 

“Teens are influenced by what they listen to,” noted Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director, PDFNJ,” “and unfortunately they are exposed to dozens of explicit references a day about drugs and alcohol abuse through popular music.  It’s important to give young people a vehicle to express how they really feel about staying away from drugs and alcohol and positively influence one another.”

 

A panel of judges selected Judith Vigliotti, a Junior attending Mc Nair Academic High School in Jersey City, as the 2011 Hudson County Shout Down Drugs countywide winner, with her winning song, There’s Always a Way. Vigliotti was awarded with a $1,000 music contract from the PDFNJ and United Way of Hudson County to perform her winning song at countywide events. In addition to signing a music contract, Vigliotti will attend a professional music recording and have her winning song produced on CD and distributed across Hudson County.

 

The runners-up in this music competition include Alessandra Gomez, Letizia Gomez and Nimra Nisar from Harrison High School, Robert Torner from Union City High School and Sanam Ahmed, Da’Zhon Bethea, Da’Jon James, Alexia Lacap, Mel Lamagna, Allyssa Lozano, Leon Megyeri and Devon Smith from Mc Nair Academic High School in Jersey City. Each runner-up received a trophy and achievement certificate in recognition for their strong peer-to-peer drug prevention messages.

 

“United Way of Hudson County is proud to support the “Hudson County Shout Down Drugs” music competition, a project that encourages Hudson County high school students to be peer leaders in the fight against drugs,” explained Daniel Altilio, president and CPR, United Way of Hudson County.

 

“Newport Centre was pleased to once again host this musical competition as a way of giving back to the community,” said Jill Daniel, director of marketing & business development for Newport Centre.  “Expressing themselves through song is a great way for local teens to learn about and better understand such an important topic that affects so many lives today.  We applaud this year’s winner as well as everyone that was involved in this worthwhile endeavor."

 

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 $55 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 98 Advertising and Public Relations Awards from National, Regional & Statewide Media Organizations

 

Newport Centre is located in the heart of Jersey City’s Hudson River waterfront community and is managed by Simon Property Group, Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Located only minutes from Manhattan, Newport Centre is anchored by Macy’s, JCPenney, Kohl’s and Sears and features over 130 specialty stores.  Additional Simon Property Group information is available at www.simon.com. Newport Centre is on facebook – check out
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