(LOS ANGELES – March 20, 2012) – A student team from Sacred Heart High School in Los Angeles was selected from among 120 entries to win the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Teen Video Contest focusing on prevention of distracted driving.
The 60-second video, titled “Road to Bollywood,” will be used by the Auto Club as a public service announcement at professional sports events, including this weekend’s Auto Club 400 NASCAR race, and other venues during 2012. The winning students also received a $2,500 prize, which they decided to donate back to their private girls’ high school serving 200 students in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood to purchase new computer equipment and software.
The video was co-directed by Danessa Inguito, who also composed the music, and Lisa Jimenez, who also did the camerawork. Other cast members included Brittney Avila, Victoria Avila, Veronica Lara, Laura Munoz, Jennifer Perea, Nicole Richardson, and Tahiez Toro.
“It was the Auto Club’s first video contest dedicated to the important message of distracted driving, and we were impressed by the high caliber of the entries,” says Anita Lorz Villagrana, manager of community affairs and traffic safety for the Auto Club.
The Auto Club asked teens to produce a 60-second public service announcement that would effectively capture their fellow teens’ attention and provide them with valuable information about how to be better drivers and avoid distracted driving behaviors, such as texting while driving.
Five finalist videos were selected by a panel of outside traffic safety experts from organizations such as the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Auto Club members voted on the Auto Club’s website to select the winner.
Videos were judged on how uniquely and effectively they communicate the idea behind the message: “Don’t tempt fate. That text can wait.”
The other four finalists are: Jared Harris and Daniel Dabach of Calabasas High School in Calabasa, who tied for second place in the contest with Spencer Ford, Harrison Hudson, and Lydia Janbay of Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo; Brian Neynaber of Christian High School in El Cajon; and Jonathan Benn of St. Francis High School in La Canada Flintridge. The second-place videos from Capistrano Valley and Calabasas high schools will also be shown as public-service announcements at professional sports events.
The top five entries received in the contest can be viewed at AAA.com/contest.