Victims’ Intervention Program of Wayne & Pike Counties held their annual February Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month (TDVAM) art contest recently and Western Wayne sophomore Elizabeth St. Louis was one of four winners who will have their art work displayed on billboards in the local community to raise awareness for this cause. Elizabeth was the only winner from Western Wayne with other winners coming from neighboring schools of Wayne Highlands and Lehman Intermediate. The winners also received Amazon gift cards and other prizes.
Debbie Cosentino, Children’s Program Manager, Victims’ Intervention Program of Wayne & Pike Counties, explained that the artwork for the contest fit the theme of “What does respect look like in a relationship?”
“The contest is allowing them to have a voice and an opportunity as a young adult to express how they experience and understand these relationships by knowing red flags early,” Cosentino explained.
She also discussed how the Victims’ Intervention Program hosts a yearly program at some local high schools including Western Wayne in which they meet with students in groups to discuss healthy relationships.
Cosentino was thrilled to be able to meet all of the Western Wayne students in the high school and middle school who entered the teen dating violence art contest.
One such student, freshman Layla Persaud explained that her entry which had puzzle pieces on it had a symbolic meaning for teen dating awareness month.
“It is about putting a relationship together on an emotional level,” she explained. “All of the pieces come together and have a role and meaning.”
Western Wayne winner of the contest Elizabeth St. Louis agrees that there are many pieces to a healthy relationship and that communication is key when putting it all together which is what she revealed in her winning art submission.
“When a couple talks, they should take the communication to heart instead of letting it go in one ear and out of the other,” Elizabeth, honor roll student and wrestling team member, explained. “Instead my picture shows how what is said should go straight to a person’s heart, because everything said in a relationship has great value.”
Elizabeth, who wishes to pursue elementary education in college, was surprised and honored to receive this recognition. She was inspired to pursue art from a young age by her mom. She especially enjoys painting, sketching, and water color with a focus on landscapes and nature overall.
“I hope that the billboard of my artwork inspires others my age to listen in their relationships.”
High School Pic One:
Back row from left: Mrs. Jessica Gregorski, Family Consumer Science teacher; Khloe Mistishin, Phoebe Schmitt, Sophia Franchak, Ellyana Armstrong, Abigail Brown, Liliana Hayes, Holly Kellogg, and Mr. Paul B. Gregorski, High School Principal.
Front row, from left: Morgan Malloy, Emaan Tanveer, MaKennah Holbert, Debbie Cosentino, Children’s Program Manager, VIP; Julia Hart, Lily Kieva, and Layla Persaud.
Middle School Pic Two:
From left: Cayden Clever, Mrs. Devon Farley, middle school art teacher; Mackenzie Hoke, and Aubrey Hendricks. Not pictured, middle school participant: Trinity Leonard.
Winner Pic Three:
From left: Debbie Cosentino, VIP; Elizabeth St. Louis, High school winner; and Mrs. Jessica Gregorski.
