HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro has congratulated the winners of the Office of Attorney General’s 23rd Annual Drug-Free Calendar Contest.
Click here to view the calendar.
Fifth-grade students throughout the commonwealth were invited to create original artwork with a drug-free message during National Substance Abuse Prevention Month in October. From the entrants, 13 students’ artwork were selected to appear in the 2020 calendar, which is circulated throughout the commonwealth to educate the public about the dangers of drug use and the benefits of being drug free.
“Our annual calendar contest is about students empowering other young people to make smart choices,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “Combatting the opioid epidemic is my number one priority and we need a multipronged approach, including education, to prevent drug use. Children must learn about the real dangers of substance abuse, and the benefits of being drug free. The calendar contest helps spread these messages throughout Pennsylvania.”
Each calendar month is represented with artwork of a Pennsylvania student, with one additional student illustration on the front of the calendar. The winning entries were chosen from 1,042 submissions from 157 schools in 49 counties in Pennsylvania, based on the artists’ creativity and ability to illustrate and convey a drug-free message.
The contest winners were invited guests at a luncheon Wednesday with Attorney General Shapiro and Office of Attorney General Director of Government Affairs Mike Vereb. Each student received a certificate and a $529 contribution to their Pennsylvania 529 College Savings Program, which is supervised by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department.
The calendar contest is funded through the Community Drug Abuse Prevention Fund. Fines and penalties collected from certain offenses, such as driving under the influence, contribute to the fund.
The following students were named 2020 Drug-Free Calendar Contest winners:
- Cover: Cali Ross, Forrest Hills Elementary, Cambria County
- January: Anthony Sawa, Marion Elementary, Westmorland County
- February: RossLynn Gasker, Panther Valley Intermediate School, Carbon County
- March: Sophie vander Velden, Good Shepherd School, Cumberland County
- April: Cali Smith, Mary, Mother of the Redeemer School, Montgomery County
- May: Alena Myers, Forest Hills Elementary, Cambria County
- June: Andi Midler, Burgettstown Elementary, Washington County
- July: Layla Tnaimou, Snyder – Girotti Elementary School, Bucks County
- August: Sawyer Mavretish, Cecil Intermediate School, Washington County
- September: Jacquelyn Shoenberger, St. Michael the Archangel School, Lehigh County
- October: Dolche’ Ochap, Mount Vernon Elementary School, Allegheny County
- November: Matthew Murphy, Visitation BVM Elementary School, Montgomery County
- December: Addison Horn, S.S. Palmer Elementary School, Carbon County
Office of Attorney General agents and specialists visit schools throughout the year to meet with children to educate them about the importance of staying drug free.
Visit www.attorneygeneral.gov or call the Office of Attorney General’s Office of Public Engagement at 800-525-7642 to learn more about these programs.
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