Va. Beach 5th grader wins missing children poster contest

RICHMOND

A Virginia Beach girl has won top honors in Virginia's first Missing Children’s Poster Contest.

Jordan Simon, a 5th grader at Hebrew Academy of Tidewater in Virginia Beach, will go on to represent the Commonwealth later this month in the National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest, hosted by the Department of Justice.

The competition, sponsored by the Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Council for Private Education, was open to all 5th graders enrolled in public and private schools across Virginia.

The program's goal is to educate children about personal safety through the development of artwork, organizers said Friday.

The theme of the competition was “Bring Our Missing Children Home.” Each poster submission also had to be accompanied by an essay describing the nature of the artwork.

Simon’s artwork features puzzle pieces that signify children who are missing, "and when they all return to the house, the puzzle pieces will connect and they will be back home,” she wrote in her essay.

She was honored in ceremonies at the school Friday by Capt. R. Daniel Plott and Lt. Patrick D. Fagan III of the State Police and Capt. Ray Greenwood of the Virginia Beach Police Department.

“We are very proud of Miss Simon and all of the contest participants and their outstanding efforts,” said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the State Police. “This contest is a great way to engage our youth to discuss and learn about personal safety."

Also placing in the contest were Laura Foretich of West Point Elementary School, Nicholas Rouse of Richmond County Elementary School and Samantha Wolfe of Callaghan Elementary School in Covington.

Simon’s artwork was selected from several entries judged by a panel of volunteers on March 18.

The national winner will be announced and honored in Washington during National Missing Children’s Day ceremonies on May 25.

In 1983 President Ronald Regan proclaimed May 25 National Missing Children’s Day.

The winning national poster will also be used as next year’s pictorial theme for the 2009 National Missing Children’s Day.