Two Indian Americans among winners of 2018 New Jersey Teen Media Contest

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Two Indian American students were among the winners and top rankers of the 2018 New Jersey Teen Media Contest, hosted by the New Jersey Department of Human Services.

Krishna Patel of Academy 1 Middle School in Jersey City won second place in the middle school artwork category and Isha Shrivastava of Linwood Middle School in North Brunswick won first place in the middle school written category.

According to a patch.com report, this year’s theme was family, which allowed the students to engage in creative thinking through art and the written word.

Students created original hand-made artwork and written works that reflected the contest theme as well as the Department of Human Services ongoing outreach campaign: “Child Support. It’s more than just money.” 

Winners were chosen based upon their interpretation of the year’s theme. The winning art and written pieces will be featured in the annual Child Support calendar and will receive a plaque of achievement, a gift card and a pair of day passes to Six Flags Great Adventure.

“We are continually amazed at the talent, thought and emotion that the students put into their entries. The caliber of the entries is a testament to the students and their teachers and schools. The contest saw one of its greatest levels of participation this year, and we thank schools statewide for continuing to embrace this program,” Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson told patch.com.

“From a short story on the boundless nature of family to poems about the history of prior generations to visually captivating artwork, this year’s winners rose to the top through their unique and personal perspectives on family and their ability to capture the theme through imagination, words and images,” she added.

“This annual contest, now in its 23rd year, is just one way that we provide support to family units and young people statewide. The slogan for New Jersey’s child support program is ‘Child Support. It’s more than just money,’ and we welcome the opportunity to provide our young people a medium to really think about their family unit in a completely creative way,” Natasha Johnson, the department’s Division of Family Development Director, told patch.com.

Other winners include:

High School Artwork:
First place, Mia Tomasino, Piscataway High School
Second place, Avia Hurley, Piscataway High School
Third place, Miya Preyer, Point Pleasant Beach High School

Middle School Artwork:
First place, Bianca Lumang, Academy 1 Middle School (Jersey City)
Third place, Kacey Zuniga, Levitt Middle School (Willingboro)

High School Written:
First place, Sophia Ginet, Ocean City High School
Second place, Hannah Malcolm, Point Pleasant Beach High School
Third place, Lauren Mirsky, Ocean City High School

Middle School Written:
Second place, Davian Small, Memorial Middle School (Willingboro)
Third place, Kelsey Besser, Olson Middle School (Tabernacle)