Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation and Arizona PBS Announce 2022 Children’s Writing Contest Winners

(GLENDALE, Ariz. – Aug. 23, 2022) – The Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation and Arizona PBS are pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural Children’s Writing Contest, which is part of a larger “Healthy Smiles” campaign to promote good oral health to children across the state. Through the program, kids in pre-K through third grade were invited to write and illustrate a story about having healthy teeth, gums and a great smile.

The first-place winners, each of whom were awarded a PBS KIDS PlayPad Tablet and a Delta Dental gift basket with dental care items, are:

• Pre-K: Simone D’Costa of Tempe
• Kindergarten: Maren Rode of Tempe
• 1^st Grade: Claire Johnstone of Dewey
• 2^nd Grade: Elizabeth Beckstein of Scottsdale
• 3^rd Grade: Amber Ramirez of Chandler

The second-place winners, each of whom were awarded an Arizona PBS KIDS and Delta Dental gift basket of dental care items as well as children’s books and a PBS KIDS stuffed animal, are

• Pre-K: Twyla Hage of Fort Mohave
• Kindergarten: Emily D’Costa of Tempe
• 1^st Grade: Lydia Smith of Central Phoenix
• 2^nd Grade: Sylvia Fletcher of Chandler
• 3^rd Grade: Ezra Brewer of Gilbert

The third-place winners, each of whom were awarded an Arizona PBS KIDS and Delta Dental gift basket of dental care items and children’s books, are:

• Pre-K: Ben Hall of Surprise
• Kindergarten: Monty Molina of Tempe
• 1^st Grade: Sophia Perez of Avondale
• 2^nd Grade: Maeve Cibelli of North Phoenix/Deer Valley
• 3^rd Grade: Emily Acedo of Chandler

Through the contest and a series of free events, the statewide campaign centered on boosting family involvement in good oral health practices, focusing on the importance of brushing twice a day, changing toothbrushes regularly and visiting the dentist twice a year. A series of free events were held from February to September in rural areas, including Bouse, Bullhead City, Grand Canyon, Lake Havasu City, Parker, Prescott Valley, Safford, San Luis, Somerton, Tucson, and Yuma. Each event featured PBS characters, educational crafts, activities, and giveaways for children up to age 8. Local dental professionals also offered free dental screenings and fluoride varnish treatments.

About Arizona PBS

Arizona PBS is one of the nation’s leading public media organizations, with four broadcast channels and a growing array of digital platforms. A trusted community resource for 60 years, Arizona PBS fosters lifelong learning through quality programming, in-depth news coverage and critical educational outreach services. It is one of the country’s largest public television stations, reaching 80 percent of Arizona homes and 1.9 million households each week. Arizona PBS has been part of ASU since the station launched in 1961.

About Delta Dental of Arizona

Delta Dental of Arizona is the leading dental benefits provider in Arizona, serving more than 1.2 million enrollees and more than 3,500 contracted dentists across the state. Passionate about oral health and its importance to generations of families, Delta Dental of Arizona has worked for nearly 50 years to improve oral health by emphasizing preventive care and making dental coverage accessible to a wide variety of employers, groups and individuals. Since 2010, Delta Dental of Arizona, through its Foundation, gave $12 million to support oral health education and disease prevention programs for underserved and uninsured communities across the state. For more information about Delta Dental of Arizona, visit www.deltadentalaz.com.