Central students named winners in Red Ribbon Photo Contest
By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Monday, January 31st, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – (Release from La Grande School District) La Grande School District is pleased to announce that two Central Elementary students are winners in the 11th Annual National Red Ribbon Photo Contest. Azadae Soupir, 3rd grader, and Mordecai Soupir, kindergartner, won in the Category of “Best Use of Family and Community” for portraying the 2021 Red Ribbon theme “Drug Free Looks Like Me.”
The students included their whole family of five in a photo on their home’s front porch holding signs to spell out the theme.
Teresa Dowdy, Counselor at Central Elementary, said that in October 2021, she presented lessons on the Red Ribbon campaign to each grade level and sent home a flyer to families about having conversations with their children about the campaign and to submit a photo if they wanted. The Soupirs submitted a photo and won.
“We are so excited to congratulate Azadae, Mordecai and their family for winning! We are happy that they really got on board with the project and helped spread this important drug-free message,” Dowdy said.
Asked how she felt about winning the contest, Azadae said, “I felt so excited. Like, I can’t believe it!”The students won an iPad, and Central Elementary received $1,000 to use to promote being drug free.
