Palmerton student has artwork featured on calendar

Addison Horn often craves chicken nuggets, especially those from McDonald’s, so when she had to come up with an idea for the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General’s annual calendar contest, there was little hesitation in featuring the fast food favorites.

The S.S. Palmer Elementary fifth-grader’s artwork, themed “Nugs Not Drugs,” was one of 13 pieces selected from student entries across the state to be included in the calendar.

“I was really excited because I never expected to have my picture picked,” she said Thursday. “Chicken nuggets are one of my favorites so I thought it would be funny to design something with them in it.”

All fifth-grade students at Palmer submitted their artwork for the contest, health teacher Bronwyn Cseh said, but it wasn’t just her hometown peers Horn was up against. Over 1,000 students across the state aimed to make the prestigious calendar.

“This is the first year our school has entered the contest, so to have a representative from Palmerton be selected is just awesome,” Cseh said.

“Addison and I went to Harrisburg for the award ceremony, and I think that is when she realized how special this was. She was talking to students from the other end of the state who also had artwork in the calendar, and it was just an amazing day and an amazing experience.”

Horn said she spent several days perfecting her artwork, which in addition to the nuggets, featured a chicken, french fries and a soft drink, a tasty alternative to choosing drugs. She visited Harrisburg on Dec. 11 for a special ceremony with her fellow winners.

“There was a lot of great food and I got to sit at the attorney general’s desk, which felt really cool to do,” Horn said of the trip. “Most of all though, I made some new friends who I’m still keeping in touch with through social media and online games.”

According to Cseh, students had to create their own catchphrase that would include an anti-drug and alcohol message. Students couldn’t use brand names and were encouraged to get creative with their entries, something Horn took to heart.

“I wasn’t surprised that she did a great job,” Cseh said, “because she’s a very creative young girl.”

While the honor of being in the calendar is nice, it is what Horn took away from the curriculum on drugs that will have the lasting impact.

“We learned that they’re really harmful and you shouldn’t do them,” she said.

Cseh said Horn’s success in the contest, maybe more than anything she could teach them, is a powerful reminder of that.

“I think when the message comes from a student, it’s more relatable for their peers,” Cseh said.

The contest winners also received a certificate and a $529 contribution to their Pennsylvania 529 College Savings Program, which is supervised by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department.

It is funded through the Community Drug Abuse Prevention Fund. Fines and penalties collected from certain offenses, such as driving under the influence, contribute to the fund.

“Our annual calendar contest is about students empowering other young people to make smart choices,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said.

“Combating the opioid epidemic is my number one priority and we need a multi-pronged approach, including education, to prevent drug use. Children must learn about the real dangers of substance abuse, and the benefits of being drug free. The calendar contest helps spread these messages throughout Pennsylvania.”