Young People Across The World Vote In PDFNJ High School Drug Prevention Music Competition

2/21/2013

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 21, 2012

Contact:Christopher Barus, PDFNJ

Phone: 973.467.2100, ext. 24

E-mail: barus@drugfreenj.org

 

Young People Across The World Vote In NJ High School Drug Prevention Music Competition

Essex County Student Advances as Finalist in the 2013 New Jersey Shout Down Drugs Contest

 

MILLBURN — Ladies and Gentlemen, the votes are in! The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) announced, today, that Nicole Levine of Essex County is this year’s New Jersey Shout Down Drugs (NJSDD) “Online Voting People’s Choice Finalist.” Levine received the highest vote count of the 110,000 votes cast.

The NJSDD music competition is designed to allow high school teens throughout New Jersey to utilize their musical talents and writing ability to create original pieces that instill drug prevention messages to their peers and the New Jersey community. Levine, a junior at Millburn High School, Essex County student will advance to the finals and perform her original prevention song entitled “I Hope That You'll Say No” at the 9th NJSDD Annual Prevention Concert held at the New Jersey Performing Art Center (NJPAC) on May 23, 2013. She and the other finalists will compete for one of three music contracts, valued at $2,000, $3,000 and $5,000.

The remaining finalists, who represent16 participating counties, will be announced on ShoutDownDrugs.com on March 1, 2013.

This is the 3rd year that the public was granted the opportunity to vote for a People’s Choice Finalist from all of the entries submitted from across New Jersey, representing a wide range of artist styles and genres.

“In only a two week period, over 110,000 votes were cast, which is just astonishing,” said Angelo M. Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. “More importantly young people from across the country -- hailing from 49 states and 44 countries across the globe received substance abuse prevention messages as a result of the voting.”

“It was only 3 years ago that the program’s website launched the online voting option that helped in the selection of a winner. Since the addition to the site, the online voting has been nothing short of a success,” Valente explained.

Voting for the 2013 finalists on ShoutsDownDrugs.Com will be held from March 22, 2013 through May 22, 2013. These votes will then be factored into the finalists’ scores the evening of the concert.

Comcast, the title sponsor since 2006, will air the concert on Comcast On Demand. Tickets for the Prevention Concert are free-of-charge but reservations must be made. Reservations will be accepted beginning March 22, 2013 by visiting shoutdowndrugs.com or by calling 973-467-2100, ext. 19.

Photo and interview opportunities are available upon request

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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