Schools
Point Beach Student a Finalist in Partnership for Drug-Free NJ's Statewide Contest
Ethan Milak, a St. Peter School fourth-grader, is one of 30 finalists out of 8,000 entries in the folder artwork competition
As educators look for more ways to drive the message home to students to avoid drugs and alcohol, peer counseling and peer support for doing the right thing are high on the list.
Verizon recently sponsored a statewide contest for fourth-graders that emphasizes peer-to-peer interaction; the students were asked to design a cover for folders to be given out to next year’s fourth-graders, stressing ways to stay drug-free.
Out of 8,000 fourth-graders who participated, 30 finalists were chosen, and a Point Pleasant Beach student was among them.
Find out what's happening in Point Pleasantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Ethan Milak, a fourth-grader at St. Peter School, Forman Avenue, was honored along with the other finalists at a ceremony at Verizon New Jersey’s headquarters in Newark earlier this month.
The theme of the 13th Annual Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey/Verizon New Jersey Design a Fourth Grade Folder contest was “Fun Things To Do Instead of Doing Drugs.”
Find out what's happening in Point Pleasantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“We are very proud of Ethan. He is a talented artist,” said Joanne Butler, Ethan’s teacher, who noted that Ethan is the fourth student from St. Peter School who was a finalist. “We are all happy for Ethan.”
“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 of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.
The 2012 grand prize winners were Malk Aziz of Christa McAuliffe P.S. 28 in Jersey City and Kennedy Christiana of All Saints Catholic Academy in Bayonne. Their 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.
