Bergen and Hudson County Students Win PDFNJ Statewide Fourth Grade Folder Contest
5/13/2019
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 9, 2019
Contact: Matt Birchenough, 201-916-1032, media@drugfreenj.org
Bergen and Hudson County Students Win PDFNJ Statewide Fourth Grade Folder Contest
POINT PLEASANT BEACH — More than 3,000 fourth grade students from across New Jersey showed off their artistic skill as part of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s Design a Fourth Grade Folder contest this year, but only 32 earned recognition at the program award ceremony Tuesday at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk.
Ava Wittreich of Washington School in Bergenfield and Alysa Patel of Public School 27 in Jersey City were selected as co-winners of the contest. Their designs will appear on the folder distributed annually to thousands of fourth graders throughout the state.
All 32 fourth grade student finalists received medals for their creative peer-to-peer substance use prevention artwork following the theme “Fun Things to Do Instead of Drugs.”
“These young students have set tremendous examples for their peers to follow,” said Angelo Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. “Their creative artwork has delivered a strong message to themselves, fellow students, teachers and parents about the importance of enjoying a healthy, drug-free life.”
Ava earned the contest’s highest honor for her chess-themed design titled, “Don’t play with drugs! You can’t win!” Alysa won for her design, “Alysa earned the contest’s highest honor for her design titled, “Never Do Drugs!” The winners’ artwork will be displayed on 40,000 folders that will be distributed to fourth grade students in September.
“Substance use prevention efforts are vital to building healthy lives for New Jersey’s youth,” Valente said. “Early prevention programs like the Fourth Grade Folder Contest are effective ways to educate and engage young students in making safe and healthy decisions for their future.”
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Best known for its statewide substance use prevention 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 $100 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 174 advertising and public relations awards from national, regional and statewide media organizations.