LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.,
June 21, 2011 /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, "People and Their Pets." Photos ranged from
close-ups to action shots of people interacting with pets of all
sizes. Nearly 900 entries were submitted by students of more than
60 high schools in Nassau,
Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn and Westchester.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110621/NY23782 )
"We see this as an opportunity to showcase the positive things
that teenagers are doing to express themselves, pursue their
passion and share their talents," said Astoria Federal Senior Vice
President and Director of Marketing Brian
Edwards. "This year's contest was so well received. We were
impressed by the teens' originality and technical skills, and
enjoyed seeing the approaches they took in portraying the theme.
Their creativity really came through!"
The annual contest is one of the many ways Astoria Federal is
committed to its Education First initiative to promote
lifelong learning in the communities it serves. "Whether we are
helping youngsters develop financial literacy or fostering
teenagers' creative expression, we actively support education at
every age level," Edwards said. The winning photographers each won
a $250 cash prize, while their
schools benefited with a $100 grant
for their art teachers' classroom use.
This year's winners are: Miranda
Behrens from Shoreham-Wading River High School, Megan Cusack and Jasmine
Laraichi from Bishop Kearney High
School in Brooklyn,
Aprill Davila from West Babylon High
School, James Giella from
Clarke Middle School in East Meadow, Alyssa
Hill from Northport High School, Tara Joyce from Paul D.
Schreiber High School in Port
Washington, Becca Leibowitz
from Ardsley High School,
Matt Pierre and Emily Savage from Patchogue-Medford High School
and Jessica Santillan and
Jessica Vargas from Forest Hills
High School.
Astoria Financial Corporation (NYSE: AF), with assets of
$17.7 billion, is the holding company
for Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association. Established
in 1888, Astoria Federal, with deposits in New York totaling $11.5
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 fourteen states, primarily along the East Coast,
and the District of Columbia, and
through correspondent relationships covering fifteen states and the
District of Columbia.
SOURCE Astoria Federal Savings