Rocky Jimenez will soon see his handiwork in all 17 branches of the Palm Beach County Library System.
Jimenez, a senior at South Tech Academy, designed a poster that highlights the winners from the third annual “What Can I Be If I’m Alcohol Free?” poster contest. When asked why he wanted to spend his free time working on this project, Jimenez said, “If I can make a difference in someone else’s life through my designs, I’ll take that opportunity.”
The contest is a collaborative effort between the Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition, Adobe, the School District of Palm Beach County, the South Florida Fair, the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, the Wellington Rotary Club and Allstate to increase the awareness among the community about the dangers of underage drinking, while promoting the little-known fact that most teens are alcohol free.
“According to the 2012 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey, seven out of 10 students are alcohol free,” said Jeff Kadel, executive director of the Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition. “There is a strong correlation between more free time and risk-taking behaviors. The project is timely because summer is one of the most popular times of year that young people will experiment with alcohol and other drugs.”
The poster is part of a continued effort to increase the number of drug-free youth in Palm Beach County. It will be featured in the libraries for the duration of summer.
ABOVE: (Front row) Alexa Lee, elementary winner Abigail Edwards, poster artist Rocky Jimenez and Lavidah Johnson; (back row) West Boynton Library Branch Manager Adam S. Davis, Tom Carreras of the Wellington Rotary; Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Cpl. Matthew Ott and and Micah Robbins.
