By Peter Elacqua
Staff Writer
MARLBORO – Seven sixth grade students from the Marlboro Memorial Middle School have received awards from the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders following their participation in the 2017-18 Monmouth County Fair Housing Poster Contest.
The awards were presented by freeholders Lillian Burry and John Curley.
The Monmouth County Fair Housing Board, in conjunction with the freeholders, sponsors a fair housing poster contest each year to raise public awareness, to promote fair housing practices, to help to eliminate housing discrimination and to encourage positive attitudes and behaviors in the community, according to a press release.
The theme of the contest was “What Fair Housing Means to Me” and the contest was open to all sixth grade pupils in the county.
There are 25 prize winners: one grand prize winner, 12 first prize winners and 12 honorable mention selections out of more than 400 entrants each year. The winning posters will be published in the 2018 fair housing calendar and each prize winner receives a cash prize.
From the Marlboro Memorial Middle School, Natalie Agostinello was the grand prize winner. Isabel Abreau, Kaitlyn Chow, Sabrina Chan and Victoria Lywdovyk were first place winners. Anastasia Balatsky and Aaron G. Lee received honorable mention.
In addition to encouraging the students’ artistic efforts, the poster contest plays a role in the county’s efforts to discuss the issue as the fair housing officer visits participating schools and conducts classroom presentations about fair housing and the poster contest, according to the press release.
Janina West and Cynthia Hicks, teachers of related arts, advised the students.
“It is always an honor for Mrs. Hicks and I to be involved in the Monmouth County Fair Housing Poster Contest,” West said. “This contest not only gives sixth grade students the opportunity to express themselves artistically, it also teaches them about the real challenges that specific groups of people may face when they are looking to buy or rent a home.
“During the creation of the posters, our classroom discussions focus on the subjects of discrimination, tolerance and acceptance. These topics tend to really strike an emotional chord with our students and their beautiful artwork is proof of that,” West said.
Since 1969, April has been designated as National Fair Housing Month throughout the nation and during that time the Monmouth County Fair Housing Board has provided community education about fair housing issues and encouraged activities that address fair housing rights.
According to the federal Fair Housing Act, it is illegal to discriminate against a prospective or current buyer or tenant because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, civil union status, affectional or sexual orientation, familial status, actual or perceived physical or mental disability, ancestry, nationality, domestic partner status or source of lawful income used for mortgage or rental payments.
It is also illegal to place any advertisement or to make any statements or utterances that express, directly or indirectly, any limitations to offer housing based on any of those characteristics, according to the act.
