Aubrey Cirigliano, a sixth grade student at C.J. Hooker Middle School, and Kaia Oum, a fourth grade student at Goshen Intermediate School, were announced as the two grand prize winners of the 37th Annual Alcohol and Drug Awareness Council (ADAC) of Orange County Substance Abuse Prevention Poster Contest.
More than 1,500 hand-drawn and digitally designed posters were submitted to the contest, themed “Team Up Together, Be Drug Free Forever,” in both English and Spanish.
The English Grand Prize for the Grades 1-6 category was awarded to Aubrey and the Spanish Grand Prize for the same category went to Kaia.
Grand prize posters will be printed, reproduced with ADAC sponsors’ names, and distributed to schools, offices, and businesses throughout Orange County. The students’ original artwork will be custom-framed by FCC Gallery in New Windsor, and each grand prize student has won $200. AS grand prize winners, Aubrey and Kaia will also receive an Outstanding Leadership/Volunteerism/Citizenship Award from the Orange County Youth Bureau at their awards ceremony on Wednesday, June 5, at SUNY Orange.
As an additional perk for earning the grand prize, the two students were surprised by ADAC with balloons and recognition in their classrooms last month.
“It was truly a memorable experience for our kids,” said Goshen ADAC Prevention Specialist Brian Rudden.
“It has been amazing over the years to see the students get excited and creative coming up with visual cues to show others how to be happy, joyous and substance free,” GIS Art Teacher Robert Hoover said.
The Substance Abuse Prevention Poster Contest is ADAC’s largest prevention campaign, with participation from nearly all public and some private schools across Orange County.
Students who placed across the county will be honored at a ceremony on Friday, May 10 at the Paramount Theater in Middletown.
Goshen Intermediate School Winners
- Kaia Oum (4th Grade) Grand Prize, Grades 1-6
- Allison Gallagher (3rd Grade) 1st Place, Grades 1-3
- Magnus Tebaldi (3rd Grade) 2nd Place, Grades 1-3
- Lillian Montemurro (4th Grade) 2nd Place, Grades 4-6
- Mike Naula (3rd Grade) 3rd Place, Grades 1-3
- Alexandra Azevedo (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Gianna Bianchi (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Kiera Blessing (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Mariska Boroden (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Julia Gisonna (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Lavie Guzman (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Maddox Iturrios (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Lucas Joseph (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Jordan Leonard (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Arianna Pedron (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Sophia Rogich (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Felicia Sgambati (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Desmond Seihert (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Evan Suero (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Kimberly Torres (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Isabella Trujano Lopez (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Jenna Zheng (3rd Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 1-3
- Grace Blake (5th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Evangeline Broyles (5th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Darla Gautier (5th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Madelyn Hoffman (5th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Troy Loomis (4 Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Yuliana Lopez (5th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Lemon (4th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Harper Steinberg (4th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Lucy Viebrock (5th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
C.J. Hooker Middle School
- Aubrey Cirigliano (6th Grade) Grand Prize, Grades 1-6
- Cecilia Boesch (6th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Emily Garbutt (6th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
- Aubrey Gardner (6th Grade) Honorable Mention, Grades 4-6
Goshen High School
- Madison Piliosgawrych (11th Grade) 1st Place, Digital Design 7-12
- Eamonn Mulleady (11th Grade) Honorable Mention, Digital Design 7-12
- Sofia Puertas (11th Grade) Honorable Mention, Digital Design 7-12