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All young people in the city of Suffolk are invited to take part in a drawing contest this fall.

The Suffolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is hosting its first drawing contest this year. The office usually engages with the youth of the city as they speak at the schools. However, most schools are meeting virtually this year, creating a limitation for their outreach.

“Mr. Ferguson still wanted to be part of schools, so we had to think outside the box,” Joan Turner, the community outreach coordinator for the Suffolk Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, said of the city’s top prosecutor, Phil Ferguson. “After coming up with the idea of a drawing contest, deputy attorney, Marie Walls, and I came up with the theme.”

The theme for the contest is “What Does Justice Mean to Me in Suffolk, Virginia.” Prizes for first, second, and third place will be awarded at each of three levels — elementary, middle, and high school. Winners will receive a certificate signed by Ferguson and a bag of goodies.

“With everything going on nationally and locally, it’s a great way for youth to weigh in on how they feel about what’s happening,” said Walls. “This is great for the youth to engage positively, especially right now, when they are not in school and may not have any outlets.”

Despite the pandemic creating challenges, the office is making plans for the future. They are currently working with the schools to try to schedule virtual speaking opportunities with students.

“We are hoping this contest is the first of many,” said Turner. “We want to hear from all the youth in the city of Suffolk, whether they are meeting in person, like some private schools are, or at home doing virtual learning like the public schools.”

All drawings are due to the Attorney’s office by 5 p.m. on Oct. 22. The applications and drawings can be emailed to Joan Turner at jrturner@suffolkva.us. or mailed to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney at the Godwin Courts Building at 150 N. Main St., Suffolk, VA 23434. The application, poster and press release can be found at tinyurl.com/drawcon.