Pubdate: Wed, 20 Apr 2005 Source: Times Herald-Record (NY) Copyright: 2005 Times Herald-Record Contact: http://www.recordonline.com/services/contact.htm Website: http://www.recordonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2544 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) KIDS LAUDED FOR POSTERS AGAINST DRUGS, ALCOHOL The awards ceremony for the 11th annual countywide alcohol and drug abuse poster contest was held Friday in the lobby of the Sullivan County Government Center. The contest, sponsored by the Recovery Center and Sullivan County Cares Coalition, honors students who design posters alerting kids to the dangers of drugs and alcohol while providing a hopeful message. In total, 70 awards were presented to school children from every school in the county. The judges chose two grand prize winners -- one in English and one in Spanish. Judges felt that posters by Allison Jones, a fifth-grader at Benjamin Cosor Elementary School, and Brittany Flynn of Sullivan West's ninth grade best promoted this year's theme -- "We Are the Future; Let's Make It Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Free." Legislature Chairman Chris Cunningham helped present the awards. "One of the goals of this contest is to teach children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol early in life so they have the information needed to turn away from these dangerous and deadly substances," Cunningham said. "The children, by creating these posters, communicate with their peers and send a clean and sober message." - --- MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman