Preorder your 2023 NAHMA Drug-Free Kids Calendar and be one of the first to own this one-of-a-kind collection of talented residents’ artwork. Avoid shipping delays by downloading the order form and sending it in today. The calendars will begin shipping in late September. The calendar cost is $5.50 each, which is a Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Agriculture allowable project expense.
Purchase calendars before Nov. 11, and you are automatically entered in the lucky draw for prizes, including NAHMA meeting registrations, books, and gift cards. There is a small shipping and handling fee for each calendar.
The calendars feature outstanding original artwork by children, seniors, and adults with special needs living in affordable multifamily housing. The underlying message for the annual calendar contest is always a drug-free theme. Still, the association wanted to open the door for more avenues of expression, so a subtheme is incorporated into the poster contest. This year’s subtheme is Healthy Is Happy: Nutrition and Fitness Propel Us Forward.
New this year, the calendar features a QR code—which can be scanned using the camera on your smart device—that takes you to a Calendar of Observances to be more inclusive. The Calendar of Observances features a diverse listing of religious observations, and national and international holidays searchable by month. The calendar’s individual pages feature the observed federal holidays as determined by the United States Office of Personnel Management.
Esme Fordjour, a ninth grader from Worcester, Mass., has been named the grand prizewinner in NAHMA’s annual AHMA Drug-Free Kids poster and art contest. The talented artist’s creation will appear on NAHMA’s 2023 calendar cover. Esme, 14, also receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for a future NAHMA Biannual Top Issues in Affordable Housing conference, as well as a scholarship of $2,500 from the NAHMA Educational Foundation.
Typically, the contest draws hundreds of participants nationwide. Each winner of the NAHMA contest receives a $1,000 educational scholarship from the NAHMA Educational Foundation. All winners are also featured in the 2023 calendar.
Additionally, participants in the annual art contests held by the local Affordable Housing Management Associations (AHMAs) are eligible to be selected as Regional AHMA Art Contest Honorable Mentions. Those chosen for this distinction are featured in a special section of the 2023 NAHMA Drug-Free Kids Calendar and receive a $100 educational scholarship.
For the contest, the artwork is divided into categories with winners selected from each of the following: kindergarten-first grade, second-third grade, fourth-sixth grade, seventh-ninth grade, and 10th-12th grade, and finally, seniors and residents with special needs. Only students are eligible for the grand prize.
The following lists this year’s national program winners, with their ages at the time of submission, grade completed in June 2022, contest category, the community where they live, the management company, and name of the AHMA that submitted their artwork:
GRAND PRIZEWINNER
- Esme Fordjour, 14; Ninth grade; Stratton Hill Park Apartments, Worcester, Mass.; Beacon Communities LLC; NEAHMA
NATIONAL WINNERS
- Jeremiah Berger, 7; Second grade; Plaza Manor Court, Jacksonville, N.C.; Westminster Company; SAHMA
- Bill Devlin, 78; Seniors & residents with special needs; The Ledges, Ashland, Mass.; Peabody Properties; NEAHMA
- Anthony Keshishyan, 16; 11th grade; The Gardens on Garfield, Glendale, Calif.; Thomas Safran & Associates; AHMA-PSW
- Ali Kramen, 56; Seniors & residents with special needs; Council Groves Apartments, Missoula, Mont.; Tamarack Property Management; Rocky Mountain Heartland AHMA
- Ari’bella Landry, 8; First grade; Davis Commons, Brockton, Mass.; First Realty Management; NEAHMA
- Ezra Lopez, 6; Kindergarten; Council Groves Apartments, Missoula, Mont.; Tamarack Property Management; Rocky Mountain Heartland AHMA
- Ana A. Maza, 54; Seniors & residents with special needs; Lakeside Towers Apartments, Miami, Fla.; Royal American Management; SAHMA
- Angie Montero, 18; 12th grade; Lakeside Towers Apartments, Miami, Fla.; Royal American Management; SAHMA
- Alina Oganezova, 12; Sixth grade; Strathern Court, Sun Valley, Calif.; Thomas Safran & Associates; AHMA-PSW
- Skye Roberson, 9; Sixth grade; Stratton Hill Park Apartments, Worcester, Mass.; Beacon Communities LLC; NEAHMA
- Diego Humberto Salcido, 13; Eighth grade; Strathern Park, Sun Valley, Calif.; Thomas Safran & Associates; AHMA-PSW
- Joshua Silva, 13; Eighth grade; Kingsville Lulac Manor, Kingsville, Texas; Prospera Housing Community Services; SWAHMA
- Lisa Marie Veliz Santiago, 17; 10th grade; Residencial El Recreo, San German, Puerto Rico; J.A. Machuca & Associate Inc.; SAHMA
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Deborah Holt, 72; Seniors & residents with special needs; Cornerstone Village Apartments, Pittsburgh, Pa.; McCormack Baron Management; PAHMA
- Ranbir Kaur, 69; Seniors & residents with special needs; Los Robles Apartments, Union City, Calif.; EAH Inc.; AHMA-NCH
- Noah Merritt, 13; Seventh grade; Rowan Towers, Trenton, N.J.; The Michaels Organization; JAHMA
- Aritha Peaks, 53; Seniors & residents with special needs; Michigan Avenue School, Columbus, Ohio; CPO Management; MAHMA
- Dara Vargas Vazquez, 18; 12th grade; Escuela Superior Urbana en Maricao, Maricao, Puerto Rico; J.A. Machuca & Associates Inc.; SAHMA