|
Alexandria, Va., Aug. 12, 2021 - Angie Montero, an 11th-grader from Miami, Fla., has been named the grand prizewinner in NAHMA's annual AHMA Drug-Free Kids poster and art contest. The talented artist's creation will appear on the cover of NAHMA's 2022 calendar. Angie, 17, also receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for a future NAHMA Biannual Top Issues in Affordable Housing conference, as well as a scholarship of $2,500 from the NAHMA Educational Foundation.
The poster contest is open to children and senior residents 55 years or older who live in a community of a NAHMA or a local AHMA member company, as well as residents with special needs who live in a permanent supportive housing community or Section 811 community of a NAHMA or a local AHMA member company.
The underlying message for the annual contest is always a drug-free theme. Still, the association wanted to open the door for more avenues of expression, so a subtheme is incorporated into the poster contest. The subtheme for this year is With Responsibility Comes Reward: Holding Ourselves Accountable.
Typically, the contest draws hundreds of participants nationwide. The artwork is divided into categories. For each grade category for children and the elderly and special needs levels, local AHMAs select up to three winning posters, which can consist of photographs, websites, computer art, or other media. The AHMA winners are then sent to NAHMA for consideration in the national contest.
The grade categories for children are based on the grade the contestants have completed by June 2021: kindergarten-first grade, second-third grade, fourth-sixth grade, seventh-ninth grade, and 10th-12th grade. Only students are eligible for the grand prize.
Regardless of the entry category, each national winner of the NAHMA contest receives a $1,000 educational scholarship from the NAHMA Educational Foundation. All winners are also featured in the 2022 calendar.
Furthermore, participants in the annual art contests held by the local AHMAs are eligible to be selected as Regional AHMA Art Contest Honorable Mentions. Those chosen for this distinction are featured in a special section of the NAHMA 2022 Drug-Free Kids calendar and receive a $100 scholarship check.
The original grand prizewinning artwork will be sold in connection with the Educational Foundation's virtual gala, Oct. 6, with the proceeds supporting the foundation's scholarship program.
Calendars go on sale beginning in September. The calendar cost is $5.50, which is a Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Agriculture allowable project expense.
The following lists this year's national program winners, with their ages at time of submission, grade completed in June 2021, contest category, the community where they live, the management company, and name of the AHMA that submitted their artwork:
GRAND PRIZEWINNER
- Angie Montero, 17; 11th grade; Lakeside Towers, Miami, Fla.; Royal American Management; SAHMA
NATIONAL WINNERS
- Cordesia A. Davis, 14; Ninth grade; Sunflower Lane Apartments, Clarksdale, Miss.; The Michaels Organization; SAHMA
- Patricia A. Funk, 63; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; Rockwood Village Apartments, Rockwood, Tenn.; Benchmark Management; SAHMA
- Nikki Gillespie, 73; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; Carson Retirement Residence, Pittsburgh, Penn.; Congregate Management Services (CMS); PAHMA
- Tiffany Gunawan, 9; Third grade; Market Mill Apartments, Lowell, Mass.; Peabody Properties Inc.; NEAHMA
- Simran K. Heyer, 11; Sixth grade; Los Robles Apartments, Union City, Calif.; EAH Inc.; AHMA-NCH
- Sukhmanjit K. Heyer, 17; 12th grade; Los Robles Apartments, Union City, Calif.; EAH Inc.; AHMA-NCH
- Ali Kramen, 55; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; Council Groves Apartments, Missoula, Mont.; Tamarack Property Management; Rocky AHMA
- Lucy Lopez, 12; Sixth grade; Council Groves Apartments, Missoula, Mont.; Tamarack Property Management; Rocky AHMA
- Ruby Lopez, 9; Third grade; Council Groves Apartments, Missoula, Mont.; Tamarack Property Management; Rocky AHMA
- Brendon McKinnon, 18; 12th grade; Council Groves Apartments, Missoula, Mont.; Tamarack Property Management; Rocky AHMA
- A'Niyah Murphy-Brown, 9; Third grade; Plaza Manor, Jacksonville, N.C.; Westminster Company; SAHMA
- Aritha Peaks, 52; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; Community Properties of Ohio, Michigan School, Columbus, Ohio; Community Properties of Ohio; MAHMA
- JaKhari Scott, 7; First grade; North Hills Manor, Meridian, Miss.; The Michaels Organization; SAHMA
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Deborah Holt, 71; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; Cornerstone Village, Pittsburgh, Penn.; McCormack Baron Management; PAHMA
- Noah Merritt, 12; Seventh grade; Rowan Towers, Trenton, N.J.; The Michaels Organization; JAHMA
- Jean Mistretta, 79; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; Linwood Mill Apartments, Whitinsville, Mass.; Peabody Properties Inc.; NEAHMA
- Ana Lucia Montemayor, 14; Eighth grade; Laredo Manor, Laredo, Texas; Prospera Housing Community Services; SWAHMA
- Emery Vasquez, 9; Third grade; Las Palmas Gardens Apartments, San Antonio, Texas; Prospera Housing Community Services; SWAHMA
|
|
