YOUNG AT ART!

Catholic Central third grader has best Elks poster in the state

BRIA BOEHMER (c.) holds her certificate of achievement as having the best third grade poster in the state in the Elks Drug Awareness Poster Contest. Seen in the photo with Bria are (from l.) Gerry Stevens, a member of the Watervliet-Colonie Elks Lodge #1500 Drug Awareness Program and the State Capital District Elks #6480 Drug Awareness Program, Bria’s sister, Giselle, Bria’s mom, Sabrina McKay, and Bob Passonno, lodge chair of the Watervliet-Colonie Elks Lodge #1500 Drug Awareness Program and district chair of the State Capital District Elks #6480 Drug Awareness Program. (Mike Matvey photo)

Only just a third grader, Bria Boehmer is making her mark at Catholic Central School in Latham.

Boehmer recently took first place in the “DRUGS ARE A GRAVE MISTAKE” poster contest sponsored locally by the Watervliet-Colonie Elks Lodge #1500 Drug Awareness Committee. 

But wait, it gets better. With the win, Bria’s poster (see below) — which was judged on closeness to the theme, neatness, originality and correct grammar — was entered in the New York State Capital District Contest, and she took first place there as well! 

And if that wasn’t impressive enough, her poster then was entered into the New York State competition and she took first place among all third graders in the state!

Bria is now entered into the National Elks Contest where each Elks State Drug Awareness chair will choose one overall winning poster to be included in the Elks Drug Awareness (DAP) Coloring Book. 

Bria was celebrated at the school on May 28 when Kristen Campito, Vice Principal for Academics and Advancement, shared the news with her classmates along with Bob Passonno, lodge chair of the Watervliet-Colonie Elks Lodge #1500 Drug Awareness Program and district chair of the State Capital District Elks #6480 Drug Awareness Program. Passonno also presented Bria with two $75 gift cards from Walmart for her first-place wins locally and in the Capital District.

Sabrina McKay, Bria’s mother, was all smiles during the presentation, and Bria got a big hug from her sister, Giselle, who is a seventh grader at Catholic Central. 

Barbara Stone, lodge chair of the Guilderland Elks Lodge #2480 Drug Awareness Program and district secretary of the State Capital District Elks #6480 Drug Awareness Program, and Gerry Stevens, a member of the Watervliet-Colonie Elks Lodge #1500 Drug Awareness Program and the State Capital District Elks #6480 Drug Awareness Program, were also in attendance.

The New York State Capital District Lodges consist of: Albany Lodge #49, Cohoes-Waterford Lodge #1317, Mechanicville-Stillwater Lodge #1403, Watervliet-Cohoes Lodge #1500, Rotterdam Lodge #2157 and Guilderland Lodge #2480.