LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.,
June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Astoria
Federal Savings has announced the 12 winners of its annual Teen
Photo Contest, open to 13 to 19 year olds. Participating teens were
encouraged to use their cameras and creative approaches to capture
this year's theme, "From the Neighborhood," in conjunction with
Astoria Federal Savings' "Putting people first"
community-based brand position. Hundreds of entries—nearly 600—were
submitted by students of more than 50 high schools in Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn and Westchester.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100622/NY24089
)
(Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100622/NY24089 )
"This contest encourages young people to use their talents to
express themselves creatively and is one of the many ways we really
get involved in the communities we serve," said Astoria Federal
Savings Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing
Brian Edwards. "We were very
impressed with the students' photographic skills and enjoyed seeing
their images of everyday life in their neighborhoods. They all
approached the theme from unique vantage points."
The winning photos were chosen based on their composition,
clarity, and originality in depicting the theme. The winning
photographers each won a $250 cash
prize, while their schools benefited as well with a $100 grant for their art teachers' classroom use.
"Whether we are helping youngsters develop financial literacy or
fostering their creative expression, we actively support education
at every age level," said Edwards.
Winners were: Tara Valenza and
Alice Chang from The Wheatley School
in Westbury, Megan Cusack and Marlena
Turturro from Bishop Kearney High
School in Brooklyn,
Gitel Khoroshko and Amanda Shaffer from John
Dewey High School in Brooklyn, Elizabeth
McLean from Babylon High School, Nicole Gardianos from Baldwin High School, Luca Balser from Edward
R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, Emmanuel
Yusupov from Forest Hills High School, Kristina Meinardus from Patchogue-Medford High
School, and Jennie Hirshkowitz from
West Babylon Senior High School.
Astoria Financial Corporation (NYSE: AF), with assets of
$20.1 billion, is the holding company
for Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association. Established
in 1888, Astoria Federal, with deposits in New York totaling $12.7
billion, is the largest thrift depository in New York and embraces its philosophy of
"Putting people first" by providing the customers and local
communities it serves with quality financial products and services
through 85 convenient banking office locations and multiple
delivery channels, including its enhanced website,
www.astoriafederal.com. Astoria Federal commands
the fourth largest deposit market share in the attractive
Long Island market, which includes
Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties with a population exceeding
that of 38 individual states. Astoria Federal originates
mortgage loans through its banking and loan production offices in
New York, an extensive broker
network covering sixteen states, primarily along the East Coast,
and the District of Columbia, and
through correspondent relationships covering seventeen states and
the District of Columbia.
SOURCE Astoria Federal Savings