May 2006 Press Releases

High School Voter Registration Week, May 22-26 - May 17, 2006
Kick-off Friday, May 19, 2006, 12 – 1pm, U-32 High School, Montpelier, VT

2006 Poster and Essay Contest Winners to Be Announced - May 17, 2006
Hundreds of Students Participate in Contest Promoting Vermont Symbols and History

2006 Poster and Essay Contest Winners Announced - May 18, 2006
Students View Original Vermont Constitution

Press Release
Contact Marianne Lynch: 802-828-2148

Vermont Secretary of State

For Immediate Release:

May 1, 2006

Safe at Home Program Protects Victims of Violence

Secretary of State Deb Markowitz announces program has successfully reached target of over 100 participants

Montpelier.  Today Secretary of State Deb Markowitz announced that the Safe at Home program to protect victims of domestic violence, rape and stalking has reached its goal of serving over 100 Vermonters.  Markowitz said, “We are proud that the Safe at Home program is a Vermont success story.”

 The Vermont Legislature established the “Safe at Home” Address Confidentiality Program in July, 2001.  The goal of the Safe at Home program is to help victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, who have relocated or are about to relocate, in their effort to keep their perpetrators from finding them.  At the time the program was established it was expected that there were as many as 100 Vermonters who could benefit from the protection it offers.  To date there have been over 125 women, men and children who have participated in the program.  

Markowitz said, “In Vermont we work hard to ensure that, in the aftermath of crime, victims are treated with compassion and dignity.  There are programs to help victims of crimes secure their rights under the law and there are services that offer them help and hope. One of these services is the Secretary of State's Safe at Home program.”  According to Markowitz the Safe at Home program is designed to prevent victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking from being tracked down through the public records system. Markowitz said, “This office discovered that offenders could use the rules that require government records to be made available for public inspection to locate and then harm the victims of their crimes. Rather than responding by closing the public records, we worked with law enforcement and victim advocacy groups to craft a system to help keep victims’ locations confidential.”

 Safe at Home helps participants keep their home, work and school addresses confidential by providing a substitute address to use when creating or updating public records, including records in the town office. Their mail is then forwarded to their confidential address.

 Linda Hall, Safe at Home Program Coordinator said, “The Safe at Home program is an important part of the service network that is available to help protect Vermont’s victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. No one should have to live in fear.”

  If you know someone who is in danger and could benefit from the Safe at Home program call the Secretary of State’s Office to see if the Safe at Home program can help. It’s easy and it’s free. For more information call toll free at 1-800-439-8683 or access the Secretary of State website at www.sec.state.vt.us.

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PRESS ADVISORY

 Contact:          Marianne Lynch

(802) 828-2148

High School Voter Registration Week, May 22-26
Kick-off
Friday, May 19, 2006, 12 – 1pm
U-32 High School, Montpelier, VT

 Montpelier.  High School Voter Registration Week, sponsored by the Secretary of State’s office, will be held the week of May 22-26.  This is an opportunity for high school seniors to register to vote in their schools with the assistance of school staff and town clerks.   Secretary of State Markowitz will be kicking off this event at U-32 High School on Friday, May 19 at 12 noon.

 Studies show that when students register to vote before they leave high school they are more likely to vote on Election Day.  For more information about this program contact Janel Johnson at 802-828-1296 or visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.govotevermont.com.

PRESS ADVISORY

Contact:          Marianne Lynch  (802) 828-2148

For immediate release:  May 17, 2006

2006 Poster and Essay Contest Winners To Be Announced

Hundreds of Students Participate in Contest Promoting Vermont Symbols and History

Thursday, May 18, 2006 10am

Montpelier.  Secretary of State Deb Markowitz will announce the winners of the 2006 Secretary of State’s Poster & Essay Contest on Thursday, May 18 at 10:00 a.m. at the Secretary of State’s Redstone Office.  The Vermont Secretary of State’s Poster and Essay Contest is a joint project of the Secretary of State’s office and Vermont Votes For Kids.  The contest is held in an effort to promote awareness of Vermont history, the Vermont Constitution, and the importance of voting to democracy among students in grades K-12.  Over 250 Vermont students participated in the contest by submitting posters or essays.  The winners in each of the categories are outlined below:

Grades K-2:  Official Vermont Symbols Poster Contest

 Winner:  Ember Benatti, Hancock Village School, Hancock

Honorable Mention:  Ashima Fillbach, Calais Elementary School, Calais

Class Honorable Mention:  Bradley Bender’s 2^nd Grade Art Class, Rutland Primary School, Rutland

 Grades 3-5:  Vermont History Poster Contest

 Co-Winners:  Sara Mornis, Reading Elementary School, Reading

Ruby Dombek & Phoebe Plank, Ferrisburgh Central School, Ferrisburgh

Honorable Mentions:  Delan Chen, Allen Brook School, Williston

Riley Carbone, Underhill Central School, Underhill

Brenda Cui, Rick Marcotte Central School, South Burlington

Class Honorable Mention:  Jenelle Barrett’s 4^th Grade Class, Good Shepard Catholic School, St. Johnsbury

Grades 6-8 Essay Contest

 Winner:  Chris Bergeron, Essex Middle School, Essex

Honorable Mention:  Mathieu Morissette, Home School, St. Albans

 The contest winners and their classes will be the guests of Secretary Markowitz on a tour of the Vermont State House and Vermont Historical Society Museum.  The students will also be treated to a rare viewing of the Vermont Constitution at the Secretary of State’s office at 10:00 a.m. and will be presented with an award along with a $100 savings bond.

 The winning posters and essays may be viewed on the Secretary of State’s Kids Page website:

http://www.sec.state.vt.us/kids/contest/2006/2006_winners.htm

PRESS RELEASE

Contact Marianne Lynch: 802-828-2148

For Immediate Release: May 18, 2006

2006 Poster and Essay Contest Winners Announced
Students View Original Vermont Constitution

Montpelier. Secretary of State Deb Markowitz  today honored the winners of the 2006 Vermont Secretary of State’s Poster & Essay Contest.  Winning students from across Vermont came to Montpelier with their classes for a rare viewing of the Vermont Constitution. 

Markowitz said:  “We bring the Vermont Constitution out of the vault only on the rarest occasions.”  The award winners and their classmates were allowed to look closely at the Constitution to try to read its words and to admire the illuminated lettering on the handwritten document.  “By bringing out the Vermont Constitution for a close-up look we hope to encourage these youngsters to feel as though they too are a special part of Vermont and our great history,” Markowitz said. 

The Poster and Essay Contest is a project of the Secretary of State’s office. The contest is held in an effort to promote awareness of Vermont history, the Vermont Constitution, and the importance of voting to democracy among students in Grades K-12. Over 250 Vermont students participated in the contest by submitting posters or essays.   The contest winners and their classes were the guests of Secretary Markowitz on a tour of the Vermont State House and Vermont Historical Society Museum.  The students were also presented with an award along with a $100 savings bond.

The winners in each of the categories are outlined below:

Grades K-2:  Official Vermont Symbols Poster Contest

Winner:  Ember Benatti, Hancock Village School, Hancock

Honorable Mention:  Ashima Fillbach, Calais Elementary School, Calais

Class Honorable Mention:  Bradley Bender’s 2^nd Grade Art Class, Rutland Primary School, Rutland

Grades 3-5:  Vermont History Poster Contest

Co-Winners:  Sara Mornis, Reading Elementary School, Reading

Ruby Dombek & Phoebe Plank, Ferrisburgh Central School, Ferrisburgh

Honorable Mentions:  Delan Chen, Allen Brook School, Williston

Riley Carbone, Underhill Central School, Underhill

Brenda Cui, Rick Marcotte Central School, South Burlington

Class Honorable Mention:  Jenelle Barrett’s 4^th Grade Class, Good Shepard Catholic School, St. Johnsbury

Grades 6-8 Essay Contest

Winner:  Chris Bergeron, Essex Middle School, Essex

Honorable Mention:  Mathieu Morissette, Home School, St. Albans

The winning posters and essays may be viewed on the Secretary of State’s Kids Page website:

http://www.sec.state.vt.us/kids/contest/2006/2006_winners.htm

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