Fw: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Students to be honore
Brooke Malloy
Brooke Malloy
Assistant Director
Nyack Youth Collaborative Coordinator
Nyack Center
58 Depew Avenue
Nyack, NY 10960
(845) 358-2600
(845) 358-5364 - fax
www.nyackcenter.org
MEDIA RELEASE NEW CITY, NEW YORK
Event: 9thh Annual Exhibition, Reception and Awards Presentation
DATE: May 21
Location: Offices of Mandel, Katz & Brosnan, LLP, 210 Route 303, Valley Cottage, NY
Contact: Candy Pittari (845) 634-3391
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ARTISTS TO BE HONORED
Rockland Family Shelter (RFS) and Mandel, Katz & Brosnan are honoring the winners of the 9thth ANNUAL ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN and GIRLS Art Contest at a reception and exhibition at the offices of Mandel, Katz & Brosnan in Valley Cottage on Monday, May 21 at 6:30 PM. The presentation of cash awards will be made at that time.
This year’s competition produced some very interesting results. The judging is conducted by a committee of RFS and Mandel, Katz & Brosnan staff and Board members. The competitor’s art work is judged blindly, meaning that the entrant’s information is on the back of their art work. The judges do not have access to the artist’s name or school until after all the winning pieces are selected. Although there were more than 50 entries from more than 6 schools all over the county, much to the surprise of the judges, the first place winner and the five Honorable Mentions all came from the same school! Five of the six were the students of one teacher, Kathryn Rowedder.
It should be noted that Tappan Zee High School has made a concerted effort to address such topics as domestic violence, teen dating abuse and bullying. Seminars for the faculty, parents and the entire athletic department featuring former NFL defensive lineman for the Baltimore Colts, Joe Ehrmann were offered during the fall term. Mr. Ehrmann, working with local agencies such as RFS, speaks to creating more respectful environments for youth, women and men. The RFS Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program (TDVPP) has been invited into the school’s health classes for many years. Ms. Rowedder also invited RFS staff to speak to her students. The goal of all these programs is to teach that by working together we can create and transform families, organizations and communities into safer places for all of us. Apparently the message is getting through to the students as evidenced in their art work. The winners were:
First Prize:
Erin Scott for her piece “Cultivate New Attitudes”. She will receive $500.
Honorable Mentions:
Jeanne Kim Don’t Be Confused $100
Rachel Stanford Barcode $100
Veronica Sage McAvoy Walking on Eggshells $100
Abagael LeWarn Unnamed $100
Austin Barnett Stop the Cycle of Abuse $100
As the winning School, Tappan Zee High will receive $250.00.
Tracy Brosnan, Esq., developed the idea of the contest as a way to engage students in efforts to raise awareness about the issues and effects of violence against women and girls, particularly dating and domestic violence and sexual assault. Her law firm donates the prize monies annually, arranges the pieces in the exhibit and hosts the event. It is the collaborative efforts of private business, institutions of learning and agencies such as Rockland Family Shelter that may squelch the pervasive epidemic of intimate partner violence.
RFS is a non-profit agency working to end gender based violence. The agency serves domestic violence and sexual assault survivors and other crime victims and family members. Services are free, confidential, residential and non residential, multilingual, culturally sensitive and available to the LGBTQ Community. There is 24 hour accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. The 24 hour hotline number is (845) 634-3344.
Candy Pittari, Director
Public Relations &
Volunteer Resources
(845) 634 3391
cpit...@rocklandfamilyshelter.org