The Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF) has announced the winners of the GAERF 2012 Student Design Competition. This fourth annual contest challenged secondary and post-secondary students to produce marketing materials that position themselves as the ideal candidate for the career of their choice in the graphic communications industry.

From among the 176 entries, six winners were chosen, three at the secondary level and three at the post-secondary level.

Winners at the secondary school level were:

• 1st Place: Stephanie Miller, Careerline Tech Center, Holland, MI
  (Instructor: Sally Salkowski)
• 2nd Place: JoJo Sounthone, Careerline Tech Center, Holland, MI 
  (Instructor: Sally Salkowski)
• 3rd Place: Marisa Visser, Careerline Tech Center, Holland, MI 
  (Instructor: Sally Salkowski)

        Winners at the post-secondary school level were:

• 1st Place: Iris Calderon, Riverside City College, Riverside, CA 
  (Instructor: Richard Finner)
• 2nd Place: Helen E. Krieger, Illinois Valley Community College, Oglesby, IL
  (Instructor: Francie Skolnac)
• 3rd Place: Gary Thomas, Pinellas Technical Education Center, Clearwater, FL
  (Instructor: Milton Watts)

First place winners and their instructors will receive a two day all-inclusive paid trip to attend GRAPH EXPO 2012 in Chicago, IL.  In addition, they will be presented with a $2,000 check during GRAPH EXPO 2012's Career Awareness Day, on Wednesday, October 10, 2012. Second place winners will each be awarded $1,500, and the third place winners will each receive $1,000.

"GAERF is proud to continue its commitment of supporting education initiatives that encourage skill, creativity and self-expression in students through the art of design and production," said GAERF President Ralph Nappi. "The GAERF 2012 Student Design Competition has served to recognize our best and brightest students, as well as the significant commitment of their instructors."

All student entries will be featured in a special display within GRAPH EXPO 2012's Education Main Street pavilion and posted on two websites: www.gaerf.org and graphicCOMMcentral.org.