The final phase of Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Center’s 2009 Red Ribbon Week poster contest is complete.
Billboards went up earlier this month displaying the artwork of the winners from area elementary schools. All of the artwork entered in the contest carried an anti-drug message. Red Ribbon Week is the most wide-scale anti-drug campaign in the country and is recognized on an annual basis, typically during the final full week of October.
“This year’s theme was ‘Choose to be Drug Free,’” says Jody Burch, the marketing and community liaison for Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Center. “The winning entries all reflected this message.”
Students created their posters for entry in the contest during the 2009 Red Ribbon Week, which spanned from Oct. 17-25. The winners from each of the area school districts were to have their artwork displayed on a local billboard. The winner from the Bartlesville Public School District was first grader Logan Warring, of Ranch Heights Elementary School. Her billboard is on display near the soccer fields on the north side of Frank Phillips Blvd. in Bartlesville.
The runner-up from Bartlesville, Hoover Elementary School fifth grader Maggie Giovannetti, has her artwork displayed on a billboard along Tuxedo Blvd.
“This has been a great opportunity to continue a partnership with local schools,” says Burch, “to prevent drug and alcohol use both now and in the future.”
In the poster contest, student winners were chosen to represent their respective schools. Then, a winner was chosen to represent particular school districts. The school winners from within the BPSD were fourth grader Rebecca Stotts of Jane Phillips Elementary School, fourth grader Bridgette Bulleigh of Wayside Elementary School, third grader Sydney Hauser of Richard Kane Elementary School and first grader Payten McCallum of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School.
Winners representing other area school districts included Drew Castle from Caney Valley, Baileigh O’Rourke of Copan and Austin Fisher of Dewey.
A member organization of the Bartlesville Regional United Way, Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Center is a division of Family Crisis and Counseling, Inc. as well. Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Center regularly provides educational services to area schools. During the 2009 Red Ribbon Week, the organization provided daily announcements pertaining to the observance as well as special activities. Red wristbands – featuring the statement “I Choose To Be Drug Free” – were given out to students and staff members.
Sponsors for Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Center’s 2009 Red Ribbon Week activities included the Washington County Anti-Drug Network, the Bartlesville Regional United Way, 66 Federal Credit Union, Arvest Bank, Keleher Outdoor Advertising, Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, Nowata CAN, Julie Ruef, QuikTrip, the Downtown Lions Club, Bartlesville Radio, Rep. Steve Martin, Monterrey’s Little Mexico and many other local restaurants.
In a 2006 community assessment, 54 percent of respondents said that youth drug and alcohol use was the biggest problem in Washington County.
“Turning Point led the way on this project because of that perception,” notes Burch. “We hope to do much more in the future.”
