Post-Game Follow up
CITY CELEBRATES “WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY” WITH A SLAM
Eleven-year old Jonathan Montalvan was awestruck when a video of his performance of the “slam” style anti-tobacco themed poem he wrote was shown on the Jumbotron to thousands of fans at a recent Pawtucket Red Sox game. He admits he had a great time doing it and thanks the Mayor for keeping anti-drug education in all Pawtucket elementary schools.
The debut of his original poem marked the high point of the “World No Tobacco Day” competition among fifth grade students in Pawtucket. The City of Pawtucket Cancer Control Task Force sponsored the contest to encourage youth to recognize the dangers of tobacco use and to share their message with others.
Students from thirteen public and parochial elementary schools in the city took part in the competition. The winning entrants from each school participated in a pre-game ceremony and then watched the May 31 Paw sox game from a field-level suite, courtesy of Bristol County Savings Bank.
Mayor Donald R. Grebien presented the winners with citations from the City of Pawtucket and the top three received prizes donated by community groups and businesses. Jonathan Montalvan of Woodlawn Catholic Regional School was awarded top honors and a Kindle Fire tablet donated by the Pawtucket Arts Festival. Second place winner was Keana Cosme of Agnes Little School who received an Xbox 360 game system from Navigant Credit Union. She enjoyed the competition and noted, “it teaches fifth graders to avoid tobacco and to share the message with other people.” Liam Halloway of Varieur School took third place and won a Birthday Party BBQ from the Paw Sox. Liam said the poetry slam was a “good experience for kids to learn about making choices and choosing not to use tobacco.”
Other school winners included Destiny Aponte, Molly DeAngelis, Martin Dias, Kaylin Fortes, Liaynez Jimenez, Andrew Lebeuf, Danielle Meyette, Daniel Palacio, Simon Quinn and Jada Zarokostas.
The Pawtucket Cancer Control Task Force recognizes the generous support of the Pawtucket Red Sox, the assistance of the City of Pawtucket Mayor’s Office and Pawtucket Prevention Coalition as well as the participation of mentors who helped students polish their poems and coached them on performance. Mentors included local poets Paris Fisher, Jay Chatelle, Jordan Pailthorpe and Thomas Barkman.
The three contest winners have been invited to perform their poems at the Pawtucket Arts Festival Gala in September.
