HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-01-2006 South Bend Weed & Seed Alliance to Present Student Art Contest Winners at Ceremony D�SpU TH
PEACE
x � %
Office of the Mayor
Media Release
Friday, December 1, 2006
Contact: Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855, or
876-1564
Mark Dollinger, Weed& Seed Coordinator, 235-7619
South Bend Weed & Seed Alliance to Present Student Art Contest
Winners at Ceremony
The South Bend Weed& Seed Alliance (SBWSA) in conjunction with the
Community Policing Committee (COP)will unveil the winning designs of their fourth
billboard contest at a ceremony to be held on Saturday,December 2, 2006 at 11:00 A.M.
in the Washington High School cafeteria. The theme for this year's student art contest is
"We Need to Talk,We Need to Listen".
Students from Washington High School, Holy Family School and St.
Adalbert's School were asked to design a billboard centered on the theme. Ultimately,
ninety-two entries from grades eight through twelve were submitted for the contest.
Many of the students who participated in the contest live in the Weed & Seed area.
The top five winners are Niki Correa, Washington High School, Grace Costello,
Holy Family School, Michael Massey,Luis Salinas, and Katie Briggs, all of Washington
High School. Judging was based on artistic design and messages that best depicted the
theme. The artwork will be displayed on billboards at locations within the Weed& Seed
area beginning December 11, 2006.
-more-
In addition to having their artwork displayed on billboards,the five top winners'
artwork will be featured at the ceremony and they will receive a plaque and certificate.
All other participants will receive an award ribbon, a certificate, and their artwork will be
displayed at the awards ceremony as well. "I congratulate all youth who participated in
the billboard art contest and commend the sponsors and teachers for supporting this effort
to encourage our youth to express themselves through art. I look forward to seeing the
art on local billboards soon." commented Mayor Luecke.
The Weed& Seed program is a federally sponsored community-based strategy
whose purpose is to "weed out"negative and"seed in"positive influences in our
neighborhoods. Mark Dollinger, Weed & Seed Coordinator stated "that in the past three
years, over 450 students K-12 grade levels have participated in the billboard art contests.
The first contest theme dealt with graffiti, the second one was centered on peer pressure
and the third featured gun violence." "The contest is a great opportunity for the youth to
collaborate in our Weed & Seed strategy. Through youth involvement, our positive
messages reach a broader constituency and we congratulate them on their hard work",he
further stated. The Weed& Seed Alliance has been involved in numerous projects such
as Community Policing,After School Safe Haven programs, Safe Neighborhoods, Anti-
Gang Task Force, Senior Citizens Security, VIP Patrols, Graffiti Removal and
Neighborhood Restoration.
-30-