WESTFIELD — The Westfield High School Dream Team, in partnership with The Matthew Thomas Toriello Memorial Fund, recently recognized student finalists in the 11th Annual Westfield High School Dream Team Palooza Contest for their submissions of posters, poetry and public- service announcements (PSA) depicting the theme “Be Kind To Your Mind, Live Drug-Free.”
Finalists in Grades 1 to 12 from the Westfield Public Schools and Holy Trinity School were recognized on January 30 during a ceremony at Westfield High School. This year’s finalists from the Westfield Public Schools are: Elementary Poster Palooza Juliet Blumenfeld, Grade 4, McKinley Elementary School — Honorable Mention.
Sydney Lupkin, Grade 5, Jefferson Elementary School — Honorable Mention.
Intermediate Poetry Palooza Natalie Gapp, Grade 7, Roosevelt Intermediate School — First Place.
Tyler Jacobowitz, Grade 8, Edison Intermediate School — Second Place.
Josephine Troup, Grade 6, Edison Intermediate School — Third Place.
Maxim Machat, Grade 8, Edison Intermediate School — Honorable Mention.
High School PSA Palooza Keri Kapuscinski and Lily Topilow, Westfield High School, Grade 9 — First Place.
Francesca Castellano, Westfield High School, Grade 9 — Second Place.
Catalina Garcia-Lopez, Westfield High School, Grade 9 — Third Place.
The Palooza Contest begins each year in October during National Red Ribbon Week and entries are submitted by early December. The finalists are announced and celebrated during a ceremony each January to which family and other members of the community are invited. On February 2, members of the Dream Team also attended the New Jersey State Elks Association’s Peer Leadership Conference which, like the Dream Team, focuses on substanceabuse prevention and awareness.
