District Attorney Marian Ryan and Poster Winner Melanie Hennessey, “Stormy Seas.” COURTESY PHOTO
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc., recently announced that Melanie Hennessey of Dover, a junior, at Minuteman Regional Technical High School, has been named the winner of the fifth annual Poster Project for her submission titled “Stormy Seas.”
The annual Poster Project, sponsored by District Attorney Ryan and Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, encourages students to create a poster that shares a positive message for middle and high school students across Middlesex County. This year’s theme, “Challenge Yourself—Be Resilient,” was chosen to promote messages of learning to cope with adversity and hardship and to encourage teens to embrace new challenges as an opportunity to grow and succeed in new ways. Nearly 100 posters from students across the county were submitted.
“We know that kids listen to other kids, through this contest each year students are able to share inspiring and motivational messages that promote perseverance over adversity with their peers,” said Ryan. “This year’s theme is especially important. Students are facing more and more pressures, by encouraging resiliency we are giving them the tools to find positive and healthy ways to face the obstacles they encounter both at school and at home. Congratulations to the winner and honorable mentions for their exemplary work.”
“The winners of this year’s poster project created artwork that was original, powerful, and creative,” said MPY Executive Director Margie Daniels. “We were thrilled to honor them and recognize them for their hard work. We are also grateful for the teachers, staff and parents who guided and supported the students through this effort.”
Honorable Mention Awards were given to Jack Ross of Arlington, a junior at Minuteman Regional Technical High School who submitted a poster called “New Heights;” Cheyanne Thistle of Pepperell, a junior at Nashoba Valley Technical High School who submitted a poster called “Challenge”; and Malint Kang, of Lowell, a senior at Greater Lowell Technical High School who submitted a poster called “Dragon Slayer.”
The winners were selected by a panel of judges which included art teachers, police officers, school administrators, and staff of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and Middlesex Partnerships for Youth.
Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. (MPY) is a non-profit organization which provides prevention and intervention resources and training to Middlesex school districts and communities. District Attorney Ryan is the Chair of the MPY Board of Directors. Through the efforts of District Attorney Ryan and MPY, educators, parents, and students can regularly engage in collaborative trainings with law enforcement, social services, and community-based organizations as well as share the latest information and resources. Such interactions provide the foundation for creating solution-oriented, community-based, multi-disciplinary approaches to addressing youth violence, substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, hate crimes, and harassment across Middlesex County.
For more information on prevention and intervention programs visit www.middlesexda.com and www.middlesexpartnershipsforyouth.org.
