Kids Illustrate Awareness Calendar

Clockwise from top right:Leading off the 2000-2001 Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Awareness Calendar was I.S. 10 student Patricia Pena's admonition against alcohol abuse. Katherine Borbor, who attends I.S. 10, concentrated her efforts on noting that alcohol affects more than the drinker for the May calendar page. Diegon Reis, attending P.S. 17, noted that alcohol and automobiles are not a good combination in his illustration for the calendar for June. Ingrid Bunay, a student at P.S. 149, also inveighed against drinking and driving for the October calendar page. Before he graduated from P.S. 122, Sal Lopez noted that drinking and driving lead to literal dead ends for the calendar's November page.

Illustrated with artwork created by children attending public elementary and intermediate schools in Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx, the 2000-2001 Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Awareness Calendar has been published by the city Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services. "It is my hope that as you display this calendar, it will serve as a reminder of the many substance abuse related issues facing our children today," Norma Nieves-Blas, department deputy director, said. Nieves-Blas expressed appreciation to those who use and display the calendar for "spreading a message of hope that treatment is available, and recovery is possible because treatment works."

Neal Cohen, M.D., department commissioner, noted in his preface to the calendar that this year's edition features contact information in 13 languages, "a reflection of the city's ethnic diversity and the department's commitment to provide culturally and linguistically sensitive information."

The calendar runs from April 2000, Alcohol and Substance Abuse and Awareness Month, through March 2001. The project was funded by the city Department of Transportation.

Students attending schools in Community School District 30 whose work was displayed in the calendar were Katherine Borbor, I.S. 10, Long Island City, May, Ingrid Bunay, P.S. 149, Jackson Heights, October, Sal Lopez, P.S. 122, Astoria, November (graduated), Diegon Reis, P.S. 17, Long Island City, June, and Patricia Pena, I.S. 10, April. Receiving honorable mention were: Alex Kazazakis, Ayana Haynes, Alexis Arakas, Maria Veronica, Marquis Howell, Nicolas Ciccantelli. Darrett Cliff. Gregory Peters., Marion Sanchez, Luisa Fernanda Garzon, Michael Alvarez, Eric Ulino, Jennifer Jimenez, Adrian Esquilin, Diego Jimenez, Brandon Castro, Raphael Sanchez, Jose Espinaz, Nicole Karras, Daniel Deriso, Jacquline Sanchez, Kate Austin, Olivia Vasquez, Cosme Rodriguez, David Rojas, Karina Lima, Nancy Haas, Liza Cabrera, Johathan Buy, Hyo-Jin Kim, Joy Chen, Tom Lee, Malachia Straughn, Fizza Zaidi, Dabila Shaikh, Mohammed Alislam, Kevin Aportela, Ashley Caravajal, Bryan Duque, Dhalma Molina, Bryan Nevarez, Rakibul Mazumder, Johanna Santana, Eunique Eaves, Ryon DeJesus, Kresimir Knez Ga-Ram Kim, Cedric Bouemboue, Cesar Paredes, Florin Arnaut Gipsy Calle, Jose Huayta, Jaspreet Singh, Waqas Sheikh, Maria Baquero, Berfin Ayhan, Nelly Calle, Gissell Caceres, Izra Howlander, Jannil Gonzalez, George Dillis, Himanshu Lal. Edgar Salas, Alexandra Marcan, Kevin Ecchevery Denisse Martell, Jenny Lam.