For Immediate Release:
August 29, 2005
Ocean County Student Wins NJ Shouts Down
Drugs
Statewide Music Competition Toms
River High School East Student Wins May 18 Competition for $5000 Music
Contract
(RED BANK) – On Wednesday, May 18, 2005, Toms
River resident Kevin Orsino was selected from among 15 finalists throughout New
Jersey as the winner of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey’s
newest statewide drug prevention initiative and first program exclusively
targeting high school students, New Jersey Shouts Down Drugs.
This winter, high school students throughout the state were invited to
submit original songs with drug-free lyrics. Calls for entries were made to
every high school in New Jersey with the opportunity to compete for a $5000
music contract.
Among them was Kevin Orsino, a musician and senior at
Toms River High School East. At Prevention Concert ’05, held May 18 at the
Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, Kevin performed his hip-hop anthem
“March” to an enthusiastic crowd over 700 strong. At the end of the
evening, Kayo, as he is called by his peers, was named winner of the inaugural
competition.
Orsino, no stranger to performing has sold over 1,000
records, independent of label backing, and has performed at many local shows,
including Pace University’s “Grammy Convention” last March.
Kevin will attend the four-year private audio college, called “5 Towns
College” in NYC, following his graduation from Toms River’s High
School East.
“As an organization, we are committed to helping
young people educate themselves about the dangers of drug and alcohol
abuse.” said Partnership Chairman Joseph P. Miele. “Music is a
tremendous influence on the lives our young people. We are excited to launch
New Jersey Shouts Down Drugs, a program that will encourage young people
to tap their creative abilities and generate a positive anti-drug
message.”
According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America
Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) Survey, released April 21, teenagers
said they were as likely to learn about drugs and alcohol from their peers as
they were from their parents, television and the internet.
Added Miele,
“Our research has consistently shown that young people highly influence
each other’s attitudes towards drugs and alcohol. What will set this
program apart from other programs is instead of delivering an anti-drug message
to high school students, we are allowing the students to deliver the message to
one another.”
New Jersey Shouts Down Drugs was originally
launched as a pilot program in Hudson and Essex counties, and due to the
enormous success of those programs was launched statewide.
For
information on New Jersey Shouts Down Drugs and other free programs
offered by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey, visit
drugfreenj.org.
The
Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) was created in 1992 with a
mission to reduce the incidence of substance abuse throughout New Jersey. PDFNJ
continues to serve as an anti-drug alliance to localize, strengthen and deepen
drug and alcohol abuse prevention media efforts in our state. PDFNJ also offers
school-based programs, drug-free workplace assistance, and parent education
training. PDFNJ works in cooperation with the Governor’s Council on
Alcoholism & Drug Abuse and the NJ Department of Human Services. All PDFNJ
programs are available free of charge to the residents of New Jersey.
Press Release from www.DrugFreeNJ.org and Submitted by Sherri
Lotito, Member of the Plumsted Township Municipal Alcohol and Drug Alliance.
For more information about the Plumsted Municipal Alliance, visit
http://www.plumsted.org/alliance/index.html
or call Plumsted Township Municipal Alcohol and Drug Alliance at
609-758-0399 |
