Press Release 5/13/20

Kaylin Milius

Lisa Tooley

MILLBURN, NJ — More than 3,400 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 28 earned recognition at the program award ceremony held virtually on Tuesday, May 12th.  To view the presentation please visit: http://www.drugfreenj.org/2020online/

Four of this year’s finalists are from Middlesex County. Madison Santiago of James McDivitt Elementary School in Old Bridge, Mia Joo of Perth Amboy Catholic School in Perth Amboy, and Lisa Tooley and Kaylin Milius of Alan B. Shepard Elementary School in Old Bridge were selected as finalists in the competition. All 28 fourth grade student finalists will receive medals for their creative peer-to-peer substance use prevention artwork following the theme “Fun Things to Do Instead of Drugs.”

“These young students should be commended not only for their hard work and artistic ability, but also for their strong drug-free and healthy-lifestyle messages they have delivered to their peers.” said Angelo Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey. “We are so glad that we were able to host this virtual ceremony to recognize their achievements.”

“The Fourth Grade Folder contest is an effective way to engage students and educate them to make healthy lifestyle choices for their future,” said Valente. “Early prevention efforts are vital to instilling the importance of substance abuse prevention and leading a drug-free healthy lifestyle.”

Madison Santiago

Mia Joo

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.