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March 30, 2004

Randy Nehrt

Secretary of State Jesse White Honors
Winners of 2004 Organ/Tissue Donor Poster Contest

SPRINGFIELD — Secretary of State Jesse White honored four Illinois students who were the winners of the 13th Annual Organ and Tissue Donor Poster Contest at a ceremony in his Statehouse office today.

The overall winner was Laine Hessinger, a 2nd grade student from Pleasant Valley School in Peoria. Laine received a $100 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble Booksellers for designing the best poster in the state. In addition, copies of her poster will be displayed throughout the state.

"I want to congratulate Laine for designing this year's top poster," White said. "Laine's poster will be used to help promote organ and tissue donation this year. We will proudly display copies of her poster in every Secretary of State facility and provide copies of the poster to schools and libraries throughout Illinois. "This is the second year in a row that top honors have gone to a student in the youngest age category. We have some very talented young artists in Illinois."

The students who won the other age categories each received a $50 gift certificate from Barnes & Noble Booksellers and were awarded a certificate of excellence from Secretary of State Jesse White.

Winners were selected from four age groups: grades K-2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8, and grades 9-12. The four winning poster designs were chosen from thousands of entries sent in by students throughout Illinois.

"I would like to congratulate each of the winners of this year's poster contest as well as all the students who entered the contest," said White. "Not only did these children have the opportunity to express their artistic talents, but they have also helped educate and enlighten people about the benefits of organ and tissue donation." Winners of each age category for this year's organ and tissue donor poster contest are:

Laine Hessinger (K-2) OVERALL WINNER
2nd grade, Pleasant Valley School, Peoria

Robert Rosene (3-5)
3rd grade, MBVM School, Bourbannais

Joseph McGing (6-8)
7th grade, Saint Cletus School, LaGrange

Jessika Folta (9-12)
11th grade, Brownstown High School, Brownstown