St. Anthony student wins anti-drug coloring contest

WINSTED —  St. Anthony School student Lila Durstin Alderete, 12, has won a coloring book contest sponsored by the national Elks Lodge.

Lila is the daughter of Melissa Durstin and Jorge Alderete.

A sixth-grade student, Lila was present along with town representatives and representatives from both the state and local Elks Lodge at an award ceremony at the school on Friday, Sept. 16.

Each year, the lodge holds a national contest for children in third to fifth grades to create an anti-drug poster to be included in the club’s coloring book.

Lodge member Debbie Angell said that the contest is open to students from all schools in the district.

“This year the theme of the coloring book was ‘Just Don’t Do It,’” Angell said in an interview before the ceremony. “The posters are collected on Valentine’s Day then judged at a local level. They are sent to a district competition where the top four are sent from district to state.”

Angell said state representatives then select the top six entrants to the national contest, with one overall state winner.

“About a month ago I found out that Lila took first place in the nation, but I waited until school came back in session to have this award given to her in front of  her peers,” Angell said. “Her picture will be on the front of the national coloring book. I’ve been taking part in this program for decades and it just means the world to me. I’ve been a volunteer on Winsted Ambulance Association for 30 years.  We know the importance of what is happening in our country right now with illicit drugs.”

Angell said it is important for children to learn about drugs at an early age.

“It just bothers me that children receive peer pressure and are just pushed into these things,” she said. “We need to educate them.”

School Principal Patricia Devanney said she is proud of Lila.

“She is a young girl who, with any challenge you put in front of her, any opportunity, she always rises to see it,” Devanney said. “To see someone who does that rewarded for her efforts, it’s just wonderful. She is just a well-rounded young lady. I think anything that makes kids think about the dangers of drugs is of the utmost importance. I think for young children, who you always have to tell them that drugs are bad, I think that the coloring book is one more vehicle to expose them to the dangers of drugs. I applaud the Elks for giving our kids the opportunity for this contest.”

Present at the awards ceremony was Mayor Candy Perez along with Rep. Jay Case (R-63) and Elks District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler James Coley, who presented Lila with a $300 gift certificate, along with a drawing set and a bouquet of flowers.