Make My Day' by Danielle Agnew, Friends' School Lisburn (1st place).

A PUPIL from Friends' School has seen off stiff competition from over 200 other pupils to win the 2008 'Safer Lisburn' art competition.

Danielle Agnew (13) created a beautiful painting of her family enjoying a walk in the park and entered it in the 'You Can Change

Their World' Competition along with other year 8 and 9 entrants from schools across the Lisburn Council area.

This year, the theme was 'Make My Day' which aimed to promote the idea of parents spending quality time with their children. Entrants drew or painted pictures of special occasions and ordinary everyday events with their parents to demonstrate how special this was to them.

In second place was Hannah Taylor, Laureihill Community College and Alyson Clarke Friends' School Lisburn and third place was Hollie McCready Friends' School Lisburn and Mark Boe St Patrick's High School. Danielle, Hannah, Alyson, Hollie and Mark received winners cash prizes, trophies and framed certificates while Friends' School Principal, Mrs Elizabeth Dickson received the Schools first place trophy for 2007 and 2008. Twenty other pupils also received framed certificates of merit.

At the award ceremony, the Mayor of Lisburn, 'Safer Lisburn' Chairman Cllr James Tinsley awarded the prizes assisted by Friends' pupil Reuben Steenson, the 2007 winner. Speaking to the young people and their parents, Cllr Tinsley said, "This is a great way for children to speak to their parents. I am really delighted that so many young people took part and wish to thank all the young people, teachers and their parents."

Thanks were also expressed to Desmond Black and Stephen Aiken, 'Lisburn Art Gallery' and Ray Farrell, 'Home and Art' who participated in judging the entries. Chief Inspector David Moore, PSNI Local Area Commander also congratulated Danielle and the other prize winners. He said: "The police continued to engage with and support schools and community initiatives that were helping to promote citizenship values and reduce crime and anti-social behaviour."

Chief Inspector Moore has also confirmed that he will have Danielle's work publicly featured and enlarged on the side of Lisburn Police Station, to help promote the idea of parents spending quality time with their children.

'Safer Lisburn' Communications Manager, Jacqueline Crockett said that the competition 'aims to assist Schools promote positive values related to community safety issues and that Danielle's painting would appear in public places throughout Lisburn during the rest of 2008'.

Ulster Star
27/06/2008