Pinwheels for Prevention Students create winning posters for contest

Staff report

Youngstown

Mahoning County Children Services has partnered with Youngstown City Schools and the Youngstown Afterschool Alliance after-school program to kick off its seventh annual “Pinwheels for Prevention.”

Students in the after-school programs at Volney Rogers Academy, Rayen Early College, Williamson Elementary and Taft Elementary were invited to create a poster based on this year’s theme, “Putting Kids First.”

First-, second- and third-place winners were honored and their posters were displayed at a special reception at the Akron Children’s Hospital Beeghly Campus in Boardman.

The Pinwheels for Prevention event showcases pinwheels planted on the lawn in front of Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley Beeghly Campus.

Each pinwheel represents one report of child abuse and neglect in 2011 for Mahoning County. Today, these pinwheels represent the adults who provided a voice and advocated for children. Tomorrow, these pinwheels will represent children growing up in safe, loving families.

The goal of Pinwheels for Prevention is the prevention of abuse and neglect of our nation’s children.

The pinwheel represents the organization’s efforts to change the way our nation thinks about prevention and focuses on community activities and public policies that prioritize prevention from the start of a child’s life.

Nearly 900,000 pinwheels have been displayed nationwide since April of 2008.

“The poster campaign is unique in that it has generated prevention ideas from the students themselves,” said LaDonna Walker, program director for Volney and REC. “We are thrilled that Mahoning County Children Services asked us to be involved this year.”

April Alexander, program director for Williamson and Taft, agreed.

“It’s always a good thing when children are asked for their input,” Alexander said. “This certainly offers a different perspective. I’m happy that my students were able to participate.”