HILLSDALE, N.J.—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.
Only 32 earned recognition at the program award ceremony Tuesday, May 7 at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk at Point Pleasant Beach—including Gregory Berde of Ann Blanche Smith Elementary School in Hillsdale.
Ava Wittreich of Washington School in Bergenfield was one of two students selected as co-winners of the contest. Her design 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.”
Berde’s entry was called “Erase Drugs From Your To-Do List!”
“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.”
Including Berde, 10 of this year’s finalists attend schools in Bergen County: Hannah Belthoff of B.F. Gibbs Elementary School in New Milford; Zakaria Elmazouni, Lucas Nunez, and Ava Wittreich of Washington School in Bergenfield; Geoffrey Cancio, Jerremey Sembrano, and Kristan Viray of Hoover Elementary School in Bergenfield; Bianca Katic of Pierrpont School in Rutherford; and Serene Go of Edith A. Bogert Elementary School in Upper Saddle River.
Wittreich earned the contest’s highest honor for her chess-themed design, “Don’t play with drugs! You can’t win!”
Her artwork will be displayed on 40,000 folders that will be distributed to fourth-grade students in September.
— Photo: Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey