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Eight students from the Northern Panhandle - five of them from the Hancock and Brooke counties area - have been recognized as regional winners in the annual Kids Kick Opioids contest.
Organized through the office of the West Virginia Attorney General, the contest encourages youth to create artistic displays to help raise awareness of the need to fight against the opioid epidemic.
Among the local recipients were Eden McKinney and Kaidence Dawson from Brooke Middle School, and Catherine Tirona, Nathan Kirk and Brooklynn Murphy from St. Joseph the Worker.
Other winners are Lindley Blow, Braelyn Beiter and Maria Faulstick of Corpus Christi in Wheeling.
The misuse and abuse of opioids continues to be a problem across the country, with effects on the individuals, their families and friends, and their communities.
By continuing to raise awareness, it is hoped our younger residents get a better understanding of the danger these substances have so they decide to never use them in their lives.
According to the Attorney General's Office, this year's contest received 2,135 entries from students at 71 West Virginia schools.
Entries from 69 youth were selected as regional winners, with their artwork to go on display in the State Capitol this fall.
An overall winner will be announced at a later time.
We congratulate our local award recipients and hope this serves as an example of a message they and their classmates can carry with them for the rest of their lives.