Westfield Student Finalists Recognized At 11th Annual Palooza

WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield High School Dream Team, in partnership with The Albert Anthony Kayal Foundation and The Mattthew Thomas Toriello Memorial Fund, recently recognized student finalists in the the 11th Annual WHS Dream Team Palooza Contest for their submissions of posters, poetry, and public service announcements depicting the theme, “Be Kind To Your Mind, Live Drug-Free.”

Finalists in Grades 1-12 from the Westfield Public Schools and Holy Trinity School were recognized on January 30 at a ceremony at Westfield High School.

This year’s finalists from the Westfield Public Schools are:

Elementary Poster Palooza

• Juliet Blumenfeld, Grade 4, McKinley Elementary School - Honorable Mention
• Sydney Lupkin, Grade 5, Jefferson Elementary School - Honorable Mention

Intermediate Poetry Palooza

• Natalie Gapp, Grade 7, Roosevelt Intermediate School - 1st Place
• Tyler Jacobowitz, Grade 8, Edison Intermediate School - 2nd Place
• Josephine Troup, Grade 6, Edison Intermediate School - 3rd Place
• Maxim Machat, Grade 8, Edison Intermediate School - Honorable Mention

High School PSA Palooza

• Keri Kapuscinski and Lily Topilow, Westfield High School, Grade 9 - 1st Place
• Francesca Castellano, Westfield High School, Grade 9 - 2nd Place
• Catalina Garcia-Lopez, Westfield High School, Grade 9 - 3rd Place

The Palooza Contest begins each year in October during National Red Ribbon Week and
entries are submitted by early December. The finalists are announced and celebrated during a
ceremony each January to which family and other members of the community are invited.

On Feb. 2, members of the Dream Team also attended the New Jersey State Elks
Association’s Peer Leadership Conference which, like the Dream Team, focuses on substance
abuse prevention and awareness.

— Submitted by Westfield Public Schools