Lukas Parido really likes to draw, and he thinks he’s pretty good at it.
That’s why he wasn’t too surprised when he won the annual poster contest sponsored by local law enforcement and first responders.
Lukas’ drawing, depicting “Cell Phone Sally,”¿a character used to teach third graders district-wide about how to call 911, was selected as the winner by 911 dispatch staff and Winchester Police Department officers. It will be used as the cover of a pocket calendar distributed by 911 dispatch later this year.
“I did a really good job on it. I¿got to color and I love to draw,” Lukas said.
For the past eight years, 911 dispatcherers sponsored programs to teach the importance of 911 and the appropriate way to use it. The latest program, “Cell Phone Sally,” reminds students to never text 911, know their cell phone number and be able to identify surrounding landmarks so first responders can easily
find their location.
Lukas said his poster was to inform people about not texting 911.
Second place was awarded to Dylan Case and third place was awarded to Parker Redmon, both students at Pilot View Elementary.
The winning student’s classroom received a pizza party and Ale-8-One from the Winchester Police Department and 911 dispatch. Several officers and dispatchers Jeannie Gwynne and Rondie Leslie attended the party at Central Elementary Friday.
The second and third-place posters also will be included in the calendar. Advertisements sold for the calendars help fund the program. In previous years, the dispatchers presented a program to second graders funded by a grant from Homeland Security. Changes to that program led to the implementation of the “Cell Phone Sally” program for third graders this year.
Gwynne said the three winning posters were selected out of about 450 entries. Any third grade student in Clark County was eligible to participate in the contest.
For more information on Cell Phone Sally, visit www.911.org/KidsCellPhoneSally.asp.
Contact Rachel Gilliam at rparsons@winchestersun.com.
