Central Avenue’s Annual Heights Halloween Window Painting Contest Winner Announcement 2016

The Central Avenue Special Improvement District Management Corporation, in partnership with the Jersey City Board of Education, is pleased to announce the fifteen (15) winners to our second annual Heights Halloween Window Painting Contest on Central Avenue. A short award ceremony to recognize the winners will be held at 11am on Saturday October 27, 2016 at New Heights Art Supply located 345 Central Avenue, 2nd Floor. All are welcomed to attend.

Three winners per grade/ group will be awarded ribbons recognizing their artwork as the best in the categories of humor, content, and overall composition. Each winner will also receive a $25 gift card donated by the combined efforts of New Heights Art Supply, State Farm Agent Joseph Nachbaur, and the CASID.

“This was extremely difficult to judge, all the participants did an amazing job,” said New Heights Art Supply owner and Senior Graphic Designer/ Artist Raquel Rodriguez-Fadraga who helped judge the contest. The other four judges include Jersey City Councilman Michael Yun; Deputy Mayor Vivian Brady-Philips; Joseph Nachbaur, Vice President-N on CASID Board of Trustees; and Lynn Hazan, ChicpeaJC blogger.

In total, 120 students from the local elementary and grammar schools came to Central Avenue and painted Halloween portraits on storefront windows within the shopping district. Over seventy businesses offered window spaces for the kids to paint. Fifty businesses participated last year. The CASID expects that number to grow in the years ahead because this event was so well received by the neighborhood and business community.

“The students did a great job making the Avenue look festive for Halloween and we are already looking forward to next year,” says Sanford Fishman, CASID President. “Central Avenue appreciates the Jersey City School District and all of the hard work the art teachers and District Supervisor, Ann Marley, puts into this event making it a great experience for the kids.” Trick-or-treaters along Central Avenue will get to enjoy the artwork during this year’s Halloween festivities which falls on Monday, October 31st. However, windows will be cleaned and portraits removed starting on Tuesday, November 1st.

Councilman Michael Yun is very happy to see the window painting contest grow in his ward. “This event gives our students a chance to apply and share what they learn in school with our main street community. There is no reason why their young talents should be limited to a class room.”

The winners of the contest, by category, are:

Humor:

Nautica SerranoPS# 158th GradePortrait# 67
Danitza CarimaytaPS# 77th GradePortrait# 13
Lissette TrujilloPS# 386th GradePortrait# 113
Kelly PinosPS# 85th GradePortrait# 31
Shaun SaldivarPS# 384th GradePortrait# 114

Content:

Jenna EspedillaAcademy 17th GradePortrait# 30
Mikele LovelyPS# 157th GradePortrait# 65
Jayde BelserPS# 46th GradePortrait# 5
Nikka PitaoPS# 387th GradePortrait# 119
Mujtaba RajaPS# 253rd GradePortrait# 97

Overall Composition:

Sandra YoussefAcademy 17th GradePortrait# 27
Gabby CasabuenaPS# 387th GradePortrait#110
Makayla AgostoPS# 46th GradePortrait# 3
Philopater SaadPS# 385th GradePortrait# 116
Julius PerezPS# 254th GradePortrait#93

Questions can be addressed to CASID District Manager, David Diaz.