Discovery Middle School art teacher Raquel Spiegel, at left, congratulates Victoria Lee as first-place winner in Alabama Pharmacy Association’s Poison Prevention Art Contest. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Student artists at Discovery Middle School won top awards in a contest to raise public awareness about a life-or-death subject.

Alabama Pharmacy Association held the fifth annual Poison Prevention Art Contest in an effort to increase medication safety and poison prevention awareness among children. “Poisonings Span a Lifetime” was the 2015 contest theme.

Victoria Lee from Discovery won the first-place grand prize among contestants in the category for sixth through eighth-graders. Ange Long earned second place, and Sabrina Yee was the third-place winner.

In addition, Sherry Lee from Discovery was among three students who earned honorable mention.

“I have four state winners,” Discovery art teacher Raquel Spiegel said. “Discovery artists did a clean sweep on the winning categories.”

“I am so proud of my students. They always focus on doing their best and it shows,” Spiegel said. “My students also gained knowledge in poison prevention, and they are helping promote the poison prevention program.”

Alabama Pharmacy Association members posted contest flyers in their workplaces. Association staff members emailed the contest flyer to teachers across Alabama to encourage participation.

The association received more than 188 entries from public and private schools all over the state, including home-schooled students.

As grand prize winner, Lee will receive a $100 gift certificate, and her artwork will advance to the National Poison Prevention Art Contest. Long and Yee will receive $60 and $40, respectively.

“We encourage Alabamians to read all medicine and product labels before each use. Follow instructions exactly. Never, under any circumstances, call medicine ‘candy’ or share prescriptions.” association executive director Louise Jones said.

Established in 1881, the Alabama Pharmacy Association is a nonprofit professional organization with more than 2,500 members statewide. The association is interested in educating the public about medication safety, poison prevention, drug interactions, compliance and other topics related to proper use of medicine and good health.

For more information, visit aparx.org.