Students from across WNY will be honored at the Annual Healthy Choices Art & Poetry Contest Press Conference in the State Police Building at the Hamburg Fairgrounds on Thursday, December 1 at 10:30 a.m.
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Artists and poets in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade were invited to participate in the contest by creating original works of art that demonstrate their healthy choices. The contest is made possible through a generous sponsorship donation from Evans Bank. The full list of winners can be found on wnyunited.org.

WNY United has partnered with the Hamburg Fairgrounds and the Festival of Lights to showcase the winning pieces in the Drive Safe Forest throughout the month of December. In the forest stands a 10 foot tall Drive Safe Tree decorated with hundreds of ornaments created by local students. Each ornament represents that child’s wish that adults refrain from driving while impaired by alcohol, prescription medications, or other drugs this holiday season.

Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard will be present for the ceremony along with representatives from the Hamburg Fairgrounds, Evans Bank, Preventionfocus, Inc., WNY United and participating school districts. 

Before we announce the winners of our Healthy Choices Art & Poetry Contest, we want to thank all of the students who took the time to create a piece of art or poetry, and a special thank you to the teachers and schools who support the students and our contest.

We received stacks of artwork and poetry and wished everyone could receive a prize. Our talented prevention specialists assisted with the task of judging the pieces of work based on creativity, clarity of the message and craftsmanship. These winning pieces will be displayed in our Drive Safe Forest at the Fairgrounds Festival of Lights, from November 25 to December 23.

And now, the winners….

Poetry Contest Winners

Grade K-4 Category 
1st Place: London Delaney                                          Grade 1 at BPS #76
2nd Place: Evelin Pizarro-Pinet                                    Grade 1 at BPS #76
 
Grade 5-8 Category
1st Place: Cynthia Gifford                                            Grade 5 at AJ Schmidt Elementary
2nd Place: Allana Repertorio                                       Grade 5 at AJ Schmidt Elementary
3rd Place: Kate Hillyard                                               Grade 5 at East Aurora Middle School
Honorable Mention: Joyce Sanchez                             Grade 8 at Waterfront Elementary
Honorable Mention: Lilian Kelsey                                 Grade 6 at Frontier Middle School
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Grade 9-12 Category
1st Place: Taylor Hale                                                  Grade 9 at Friendship Central School
2nd Place: Brittany Willmart                                        Grade 11 at Olean High School
3rd Place: Dorel Cartwright                                          Grade 11 at Dansville High School
 
Art Contest Winners
Grade K-4 Category
1st Place: Claire Smaldino                                            Grade 3 at AJ Schmidt Elementary
2nd Place: Tristan Lally                                                Grade 4 at AJ Schmidt Elementary
3rd Place: Amelya Kilby                                                Grade 4 at AJ Schmidt Elementary
Honorable Mention: Madison Kwilos                             Grade 4 at AJ Schmidt Elementary
Honorable Mention: Madeleine Smolinski                     Grade 4 at Holy Family Learning Center
 
Grade 5-8 Category
1st Place: Madalyn McTarnaghan                                 Grade 7 at Keshequa Middle School
2nd Place: Autumn Burris                                            Grade 5 at AJ Schmidt Elementary
3rd Place: AuLaYer Paw                                               Grade 8 at Waterfront Elementary
Honorable Mention: Lillian Alaina Hroncek                    Grade 5 at AJ Schmidt Elementary
 
Grade 9-12 Category
1st Place: Eita Nanda                                                   Grade 11 at Kenmore West High School 

​Congratulations to all of our winners!

Congrats, you’ve survived Halloween without purging your child’s stash of candy (hopefully). However, the impending holidays may instill fear inside of you. You think, “What am I going to do about all these treats?!” Maybe you worked so hard to establish a healthy routine this summer or maybe you just know grandma’s apple pie is unavoidable and the smell alone packs ten pounds on your hips. Don’t fear! We’re going to give you a few tips to make the healthy choice this holiday season and come out a survivor on the other end. 

1. Our first rule of thumb is to eat consciously. If you know you have dinner plans with relatives, don’t splurge on a big breakfast the same day. When dining out, eat what you want, but try to lighten it up. Skip on the fried foods and heavy dressings to slash a few calories and try to limit these big meals to once a week. 

2. The second rule is to drink water. Yes, you’ve heard it time and time again, but it’s true! You should try to consume (8) eight ounce glasses per day. No need to drown yourself, but keep in mind the old bathroom trick. (You know… the color of your urine.) Also, water keeps you full. If you often find yourself grazing at a party when you’re not really hungry try sipping on a bottle of water instead.

3. Okay, here’s the part where we recommend exercise. You don’t need to run, bike or jump rope off the extra calories you consume. Being active on the days you know you have a special event will contribute to an overall better sense of well-being. You’ll be less likely to overindulge if you’ve exercised. On the other hand, your digestive system will thank you if you go for a stroll when you do happen to eat too much. 

4. The best rule of advice we can provide is to not associate guilt with the holidays. Okay, so you’ve ate too many cookies during your marathon baking event. Don’t make yourself feel guilty about what has already happened. Did you enjoy yourself? Did you make memories? Good! Choose to make memories and don’t worry that your pants don’t fit. You can always burn off grandma’s apple pie, because grandma might not always be here to bake it. 

What are your favorite holiday traditions and recipes? Share with us below!