SPRINGFIELD –– Secretary of State Jesse White today announced the winners of this year's School Bus Safety Poster Contest. The announcement is held in conjunction with National School Bus Safety Week, which began October 20th.

"I want to commend these students for their hard work," said White. "For the third year, these poster designs have been incorporated into a special calendar available to schools and the general public that will help make school bus safety a year round issue. Our children need to take time to review safety tips for riding the bus safely and this poster contest and calendar provide that opportunity."

Secretary White and the Illinois Association for Pupil Transportation sponsor the poster contest for Kindergarten through eighth grade students throughout the state. A ceremony awarding the students with the winning poster designs was held Thursday, at 11:00 a.m. in the Hall of Flags of the Michael J. Howlett Building in Springfield.

Each student's winning poster is being reproduced on calendars that will be distributed to schools throughout the state. The poster contest helps students learn safety measures for boarding, riding and exiting the school bus.

"I want to congratulate each of the students for a job well done. I know they put a lot of effort into their designs," said Vicky Cullinan, President of the Illinois Association of Pupil Transportation. "I believe the partnership between the Secretary of State and the Illinois Association for Pupil Transportation has encouraged more children to participate in the poster contest and become aware of school bus safety."

Students receiving awards this year are:

Jeff Arcand, Indian Oaks Academy, Manteno, IL
Ryan Berry, Centralia Jr. High School, Centralia, IL
William Craft, St. Liborius School, Crete, IL
Guadalupe Diaz, Nathaniel Green Middle School, Chicago, IL
Lacy Jones, Goreville School, Goreville, IL
Karlie Kendall, Anna MacDonald School, Manhattan, IL
Shannon Kloberdanz, Troy Crossroads Elementary School, Plainfield, IL
Michael O'Brien, J.D. Colt School, Litchfield, IL
Lindsey Rietschel, Spring Grove School, Spring Grove, IL
Luke Tucker, Anna MacDonald School, Manhattan, IL
Stacy Vandergriff, Worth Elementary School, Worth, IL
Rashell Weirich, Spring Grove School, Spring Grove, IL
Mary Ann Yanos, Francis Granger Middle School, Aurora, IL

2002 School Bus Safety Poster Contest Winners