WAPS student recognized for t-shirt design

A Wheatley Area Public School student was recognized on Tuesday, October 25 for her winning design for the 2022-23 V.I.P. t-shirt artistic design contest.

The plaque and winning design t-shirt were presented to Jordyn Lafaive by the Wheatley Optimist Club and Special Constable Koldyk of the Crime Prevention and Community Safety Section of Chatham-Kent Police Service.

Jordyn’s design will be worn by all of the V.I.P. graduates in the public schools within the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

The V.I.P. t-shirts were sponsored by community service groups throughout Chatham-Kent including the Wheatley Optimist Club, Tilbury Kinsmen, and St. Joseph Council – Tilbury Knights of Columbus. Members of each organization attend the V.I.P. graduations to present the students with a V.I.P. t-shirt and to encourage them to be good citizens of the community.

The V.I.P. program has been very effective in establishing positive community-police relationships over the years. Students meet their V.I.P. Officer on six different occasions and build a positive rapport that can last a lifetime.

Lessons taught to students include authority and authority figures, youth and the law (shoplifting/vandalism), bike and helmet safety, bullying and making good choices (drugs). The lessons are preventive in nature and allow students to evaluate the consequences of becoming involved in negative behaviour.

WAPS student Jordyn Lefaive won the contest for designing the 2022-23 V.I.P. t-shirts. From left to right are WAPS principal Mr. Scott Bacik, Grade 5 teacher and Optimist Club member Mrs. Christine Hopper, t-shirt designer Jordan Lefaive, and Special Constable Brenda Koldyk of the Chatham-Kent Police Service. Photo submitted