For Immediate Release:
June 22, 2012  

‘My County’ poster winners announced
Fourth graders create county masterpieces

FREEHOLD, NJ – Winning posters from the 2012 “My County Poster Contest” will be on display this year in the Monmouth County Clerk’s building at 33 Mechanic St.

Monmouth County Clerk M. Claire French, Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters and Undersheriff Robert J. Dawson Jr. congratulated Natalie Villalpando the winner of the 2012 “My County” poster contest. Villalpando is a fourth grade student at St. Catharine’s school in Spring Lake. “Each month a different poster will be on display in our lobby,” Monmouth County Clerk M. Claire French said. “It’s great to recognize these budding artists and share their original artwork with the people that are applying for passports and recording deeds at the County Clerk’s Office.”

Earlier this month, French was joined by Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters and Undersheriff Robert J. Dawson Jr., who represented Sheriff Shaun Golden, at St. Catharine’s School in Spring Lake to present Natalie Villalpando with the first-place accolades that included a $100 savings bond and a certificate of achievement. Her poster will be the first to be displayed in the Clerk’s Office in July.

Natalie and three other fourth-grade students at St. Catharine’s were recognized during the school’s end-of-the-year recognition ceremony. Ryan Sy, Machaela Patterson and Kyle Harms received honorable mention certificates.

“The best part of this poster contest is that our local fourth graders gain an understanding of what county government does each and every day,” Dawson said.

“Our county winners always impress us with their knowledge of the county and the way they express their thoughts artistically,” Peters said. “Students were asked to depict something special and unique about Monmouth County, and these young artists did just that.”

The poster contest was sponsored by the Constitutional Officers’ Association of New Jersey. French, Peters and Golden are Monmouth County’s elected constitutional officers.

The 99 entries in the contest were judged on theme, supporting detail and graphic or visual presentation.

The second-place winner was Mary Newman of St. Rose of Lima in Freehold, who was awarded a $75 U.S. Savings Bond. Her poster will be displayed in the Clerk’s Office in August. The third-place winner was Catherine Dawod of St. Catharine’s School in Spring Lake, who was awarded a $50 U.S. Savings Bond. Her poster will be on display at the Clerk’s Office in September.

The 2012 Honorable mention winners are:

  • Ryan Sy, St. Catharine’s School, poster on display in October
  • Machaela Patterson, St. Catharine’s School, poster on display in November
  • Kyle Harms, St. Catharine’s School, poster on display in December
  • Anthony Densieski, St. Rose of Lima School, poster on display in January
  • Malcolm Baldwin, St. Rose of Lima School, poster on display in February
  • Christian A. DeChiaro, St. Rose of Lima School, poster on display in March
  • Carla Ramirez, St. Rose of Lima School, poster on display in April
  • Isabella M. Ghanbary, Avon Elementary School, poster on display in May
  • Johana Riano, Bradley Elementary School, poster on display in June

The contest was held in April to commemorate National County Government Month. Association members in each of the New Jersey’s 21 counties will select a winning poster from the entries in their county. All posters become the property of the Constitutional Officers Association and the County of Monmouth. Selected posters may also appear on a published calendar.

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