CUB RUN, Ky. (May 25, 2018) – Today the Kentucky State Police announced the winning student artist for the National 2018 ‘Missing Children’s Day’ poster contest, co-sponsored by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Washington, D.C.
The contest is an annual event that encourages fifth grade students from across the country to design posters depicting the importance of bringing missing
children home.
Ten year-old Emma Sanders of Cub Run Elementary School in Hart County won the state poster competition. Her poster was selected as Kentucky’s entry and forwarded to the DOJ in Washington, D.C. to compete against the other state selected entries. Sanders placed second in the national competition which is the first time a Kentucky entry has placed at that level.
Sander’s poster depicted the U.S. Flag along with a trooper holding hands with children.
“My poster illustrates the role our police play in helping find missing children,” says Sanders. “We have law enforcement officers all across the country and the real success to finding missing children comes when we all work together.”
Sanders will receive a Certificate of Excellence from KSP and her poster will be prominently displayed at the Kentucky State Fair this summer in KSP’s Safety Town Exhibit.
The KSP poster contest is administered through the agency’s Intelligence Branch which is under the command of Lt. Bradly Stotts.
“This is a great opportunity for our agency to participate in a national effort to bring missing children home safely, while highlighting the importance of proactive educational programs,” says Stotts.
“Students from across the state submitted entries and we had a difficult time choosing the winning entry – they were all very good!”
“The effectiveness of the program is based on the concept that a message conveyed by a fellow student carries more weight with other students and is therefore more memorable,” Stotts adds.
The theme for the contest was ‘Bring Our Missing Children Home’ and Stotts advised that many schools incorporate this campaign as part of a lesson plan in the classroom.
“The poster contest provides teachers the tools to educate children about safety and initiate conversations regarding prevention, while compelling students to explore the significance of the theme “Bring our Missing Children Home,” says Stotts.
Last year in Kentucky, 4,108 minor children were reported missing. Nationally, 800,000 children are reported missing every year.
Stotts hopes that this contest will remind parents to talk with their children about safety awareness and remind youth of simple basic rules:
- Never go out alone.
- Always tell an adult where you’re going.
- Say NO if you feel threatened physically or sexually and tell a trusted adult.
- Don’t let peer pressure lure you into drugs or alcohol. Have the confidence to say NO to substances that could harm your body and cloud your judgment.
- Monitor your child’s online activity and behavior.
More safety information is available online from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at http://www.missingkids.com or by contacting KSP at 502-782-1800.