Nearly 5,000 Entries Make Anti-Drug Contest a Success

Michigan Department of Community Health Director James K. Haveman, Jr., today announced that nearly 5,000 Michigan students demonstrated the positive benefits of abstaining from drug use through their creativity in the fourth annual Partnership for a Drug-Free Michigan's "Winners Don't Do Drugs Because. . ." poster contest.

The partnership, a collaborative public/private effort administered by the department, is an aggressive public awareness campaign designed to warn every child, teen and parent in Michigan about the dangers of drug use.

"Unfortunately, there is a perception that drugs are a reality and are simply not dangerous," said Haveman. "We know this is not true, but we need our children and teens to understand that drugs are harmful and addictive."

"The contest has really given students from all over Michigan the chance to creatively demonstrate their stand against drug use," said Office of Drug Control Policy Director Craig Yaldoo.

"When we began this contest, we thought it would be a fun way to get students actively involved in thinking about the dangers of illicit drug use," said Jim McBryde, Chairman of the Partnership for a Drug-Free Michigan.

There were three grade classifications within the poster contest, grades 3-5; 6-8; and 9-12. Mervyn's provided the winners with first place awards of $100, second place $75, third place $50, and fourth place $25. All awards were given in Mervyn's gift certificates.
The Mervyn's gift certificate award winners are:

First Place
Kathryn Della Porta, of Royal Oak
Matthew DePorre, of Rochester Hills
Card Mitchell, of Jackson
Alex Nameth, of Dearborn
James Perrin, of Michigan Center
Esteban Velazquez, of Detroit

Second Place
Bryan Abat, of Farmington Hills
Susanna Allen, of South Haven
Kerry Brennan, of Dearborn
Craigg Dye, of Tawas City
Indy Huggett, of Union
Mark Ryan, of Mt. Pleasant
Jesse Stirnemann, of Sterling Heights
Courtney Tocco, of Macomb

Third Place
Kimberly Adams, of Shepherd
Sue Feddick, of Holland
Sam Him, of Orchard Lake
Megan Holly, of Gladwin
Tim Markowski, of Mt. Pleasant
Anthony Michetti, of Rochester Hills
Kari Porembiak, of Southgate
Javier Solis, Jr., of Marcellus
Michael Whitney, of Marcellus

Fourth Place
Tanya Marie Davis, of Mt. Pleasant
Genevieve Marie Gajewski, of Sterling Heights
Kelly Gardner, of Dearborn
Kesha Harris, of Gladwin
Kionna Harris, of Bloomfield Hills
Mike Kozar, of Pleasant Lake
Evan Morgan, of Holt
Bobby Navarro, of Saginaw
Kayla Riley, of Pewamo
Alison Sandburg, of Mt. Pleasant
Danielle Schlicker, of Kawkawlin
Littany Supka, of Mt. Pleasant

As an incentive to encourage as many students as possible to enter, each student who participated in this contest was entered in a drawing for grand prizes, compliments of the Detroit Red Wings. Patrick Sesi of West Bloomfield won the opportunity to attend a Red Wings practice and meet the players. Kayla Fahey of Yale was the winner of autographed Red Wings souvenirs.