Patch Whiz Kids of the Week: The seven Somerville High School vocational students who won prizes from a local nonprofit organization for raising awareness about kidney donation.

Seniors Sarah Blasi, Roxana Perez, Ashley Murphy and Katelyn Ballery each received $250 from the Ball Square Dialysis Clinic, Inc. for writing essays that aimed to inspire people to become kidney donors. One girl wrote about how her best friend's sister died after not receiving a transplant in time; another recounted her experience arriving at the Department of Motor Vehicles and considering whether or not to check the box that would designate her as an organ donor. 

Underclassmen Nathalie Eloi, Gelinne Berger and Hallie Ottaviano received digital cameras from the clinic for creating posters with the same aim.

The dozens of students who entered the contest attended a breakfast on Tuesday at the Highlander Café to hear from speakers who had donated, received and requested kidneys. After the presentations, employees of the clinic announced the contest winners.

Health careers teacher Laurie Foley called the posters “absolutely adorable.” She said that the clinic would try to arrange them in a calendar that it would distribute to other health clinics throughout the city.

Graphic arts teacher Charles Gerlach said that the contest appealed to him and his students because it furthered creativity and community service. Altogether, he said, making the  “lighthearted” posters allowed students to learn a lot about kidney donation and how to become donors themselves.

“They let kids know it’s OK to check the box on their drivers license,” he said.