Recognizing the huge impact the media has on today’s teens, Project Reality, along with 22 community-based abstinence organizations across the state, challenged Illinois teens to take on the media by expressing what messages THEY think the media should be communicating about sex and abstinence. The result? Nearly 400 creative, original and insightful entries that prove these teens should be involved in decision making for media for the next generation!
The 2007 contest featured a few changes compared to the past years. In addition to involving organizations from across the state, Project Reality expanded the entry criteria to include not only essays as in the past years, but poetry, music and art entries as well.
The winning students are from Chicago, Belleville, Joliet, Mooseheart (Aurora), Riverdale, Viola and Winchester, Illinois. Winners of the contest will be honored and presented with awards in front of Chicago-area teachers and students, members of the Illinois Legislature, representatives from the Illinois Department of Human Services and approximately 350 others at the “Teens Speak Out” Dinner Gala.
To read and see the winning entries, click below.
Contest Winners:
Poetry Category 1st Place - Sarah Halbur, 16, St. Francis of Assisi HomeSchool Academy, Joliet, IL
2nd Place - Hannah Lingafelter, 13, Sherrard School, Viola, IL
3rd Place - Charis Rich, 18, Lincoln Park High School, Chicago, IL
Essay Category 1st Place - Elizabeth Sanchez, 16, Carl Schurz High School, Chicago, IL
2nd Place - Aminat Odunewu, 15, Mooseheart Academy, Mooseheart, IL
3rd Place - Samantha Chatman, 15, Lincoln Park High School, Chicago, IL
Poster Art Category 1st Place - Kimberly Woodworth, 15, Winchester School, Winchester, IL
2nd Place - Raven Sanders, 13, Central Jr. High School, Belleville, IL
3rd Place - Timothy Bourne', 13, Homeschool student, Riverdale, IL
Music Category 1st Place - Blake Mason, 15, Ethan Grasty, 16, Marco Namowicz, 15, Mooseheart Academy, Mooseheart, IL
2nd Place - Cindy Lanehart, 17, Chicago, IL
3rd Place - Yarimil Velez, Janethe Contreras, Turn It Up Music Program, Chicago, IL
