Teen Media Contest Winners 2002

NJ High School Student Remind Fathers That Child Support Is More Then Just Money

TRENTON – The New Jersey department of Human Services presented its annual Teen Media Contest winners at an awards ceremony as a Trenton Thunder baseball game in May.

Director of the New Jersey Division of Family Development David Hein and Deputy Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Human Services Barbara DeGraaf awarded seven New Jersey high school students with certificate of achievement and U.S. Savings Bonds for their winning artwork in the department’s Sixth Annual Teen Parental responsibility Media Contest.

The students applied the theme of the state’s advertising and community outreach campaign, 'Child Support.  It’s More Than Just Money,' in two distinct artwork categories, computer generated and hand drawn.  The contest was extended to high schools in the state as well as community organizations.

First place honors in the computer generated artwork category was presented to Nicole Nastasi and Stefanie Nolan of Ocean County Technical High School, second place honors went to Cynthia Varhalmi and third place honors to John Papadopoulos, both of Verona High School.  In the hand drawn artwork category, first place honors was presented to Rebecca Hu of John P. Stevens High School, second place went to Matthew Krause of Cinnaminson High School and third place honors to Cory McCormack of Edison High School.

The purpose of the campaign, now in its third year, is to promote a positive approach to the benefits of providing a secure financial and emotional bond between non-custodial parents and their children.

'Non-custodial parents who have a relationship with their child are more likely to pay child support,' said DeGraaf. 'Like baseball, parenting is a team effort.  Fathers can’t just sit in the dugout if they really want to have an impact on their child’s life.'

The contest was established out of concerns for the continuing statistical rise of teen out-of-wedlock births in New Jersey and the non-participation by fathers in the lives of their children.  The Office of Child Support and Paternity Programs at the DHS continues to educate young people on the responsibilities of parenthood through this statewide campaign.