News
Attorney General announces winners of Law Day Essay Contest that addresses driving age
By Attorney General's office
May 6, 2008 - 2:23:47 PM

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today announced the winners of the 15th Annual Law Day Essay Contest -- chosen from 721 entries by eighth-grade students from across the state.

Student essays addressed the question, "Should the driving age be raised to 18 to reduce crashes involving young drivers?"

"I am inspired and enlightened by the hundreds of students who submitted essays on this timely topic," Blumenthal said. “These students made insightful points – with varying views – on a complicated issue that our state’s elected officials are forever forced to address. The profound privilege of a driver’s license carries opportunities, but also obligations to respect the safety and lives of fellow drivers and passengers, as well as our own. Based on these intelligent essays, I am confident that our next generation of young drivers will be mindful of both the rewards and responsibilities of driving.”

Winners of the contest are:

First Place: Vincenza Bartholomew, St. Mary/St. Michael School, Derby

Second Place: Jacki Griffin, St. Peters/St. Francis School, Torrington

Third Place: Perri Silverhart, Bristow Middle School, West Hartford

Fourth Place: Justine Kahn, Western Middle School, Greenwich

Fifth Place: Erin Cofrancesco, St. Aedan School, New Haven

Honorable Mention Winners are:

Lauren McArdle, Roger Ludlowe Middle School, Fairfield
Nick LaPointe, Captain Nathan Hale Middle School, Coventry
Jared Oleksiak, Woodstock Middle School, Woodstock
Xiaomi Du, Dodd Middle School, Cheshire
Shreya Bhandari, Dodd Middle School, Cheshire

The contest judges were: Joseph Andreana, Executive Director, CT Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, Inc.; The Reverend David L. Cannon, Board of Trustees, Community Colleges; Nicholas Caruso, Senior Staff Associate for Field Service, CT Association of Boards of Education; Douglas Benedetto, Commissioner, Torrington Board of Public Safety; P. Martha Carlson, Assistant State Comptroller; Mrs. Bette Daraskevich, Retired; Karreen DeLeon-Veneziano, FAO, Department of Children & Families, Riverview Hospital; Thomas Hennick, Public Education Officer, Freedom of Information Commission; Johanna Krebs, Youth Coordinator, MADD CT; Michael Martone, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General; Betty Jo Pakulis, Executive Assistant, Office of the State Treasurer; David Rivera, Executive Assistant, Office of the Attorney General; Barbara-Ann Rossi, East Hartford Town Council; Susan Tukey; John C. Turner, Jr., Esq., Litigation Associate at Maher & Murtha, LLC.

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