SPRINGFIELD –– A Glenbard South High School student was the overall
winner in a children’s poster contest sponsored as a part of the
"Life Goes On" Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness program,
Secretary of State Jesse White announced today.
"I want to congratulate these students for creating such
fine posters and doing their part to help make more people aware
of this life-saving issue," said White. "Education is the key to
increasing the donor registry and these young people are to be
commended for helping spread the life-saving message of donations
and transplants."
The poster award ceremony coincides with National Organ and
Tissue Donor Awareness Week, April 16-22. The focus of the "Life
Goes On" program is to encourage Illinoisans to become organ and
tissue donors. Secretary White launched Organ Donor Awareness
Week with a four-city tour to Peoria, Bloomington/Normal,
Champaign/Urbana and Carbondale.
Currently 5,000 people in Illinois and 68,000 nationwide are
waiting for a transplant. Since the Donor Registry began in
1992, more than 4.7 million people in Illinois have registered to
be organ and tissue donors.
"Organ donation is a personal issue for me," said White.
"My sister, Doris Ivy, received a kidney in 1991 after a three
and a half year wait on the transplant list. I am pleased to
work with Illinois teachers and students to spread the work that
organ donors save lives."
The following students received awards and savings bonds for
designing the best posters:
- Estefania Cruz, grade 2, Jungman Elementary School, winner K-
2 division
- Josey Kunz, grade 4, Bluffs Grade School, winner 3-5
division
- Mallory Coghlan, grade 6, Our Lady of the Snows School,
winner 6-8 division
- Heather Johnson, grade 11, Glenbard South High School,
winner 9-12 division and overall winner
The poster contest is open to all Illinois students in
kindergarten through grade 12. Contest forms and information were
sent to all schools. The winning poster will be displayed in
schools, libraries, hospitals and drivers license facilities
throughout the state.
Secretary White thanked the American Red Cross Tissue Service,
Bro-Menn Watson Gailey Eye Bank, Illinois Eye Bank, Mid-America
Transplant Services, Regional Organ Bank of Illinois and the
Central Illinois Lions Eye Bank for the printing of the poster
and the American Legion of Illinois for providing the savings
bonds.
