Assemblyman David G. McDonough (R,C,I-Merrick), third from left, recognized "Disabilities Awareness" contest prize winner Stephanie Wagner, center front, with a Certificate of Merit for her efforts. Stephanie, a second-grader at Abbey Lane School, Levittown, placed second in the poster portion of the contest for all of New York and was awarded a $100 cash prize.

The contest is sponsored by the New York State Commission on Quality of Care. The commission invites students in grades 1 through 6 to enter either a poster or essay contest. The awards ceremony was held at the Governor’s mansion in Albany on June 8, 2004.

The goal of the contest is to improve students’ understanding of people with and without disabilities, and how they live, go to school, work and play together in their communities. Students are asked to show how this is happening in their communities by entering either the poster or essay contest.

Included in the photo are Stephanie’s grandmother, Alice Stephens, her mother, Ellen, her father, Bill, and sister, Alice.