It's time for teenagers to fire up their video cameras and get their
creative juices flowing. The 2008 Safety Scholars Video Contest,
presented by Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, has begun
start accepting student-made, safety-themed videos once again.
As a continuation of its extremely successful annual campaign,
the company is again turning to America's teens to offer creative media
solutions to help make roads safer for everyone. This year, the Safety
Scholars Video Contest will also include a chance for young video
producers to have their auto safety videos broadcast as a public
service commercial. The 2008 contest will award three $5,000 college
scholarships for the most compelling and effective videos that drive
home life-saving messages on auto and tire safety. The top 10
filmmakers will also receive a new set of Bridgestone tires.
"Because
car crashes claim the lives of more 16- to 21-year-olds than any other
cause, we feel safety education is a priority," said Christine
Karbowiak, Vice President of Public Affairs, Bridgestone Americas
Holding, Inc. "After challenging young people last year to create
their own videos about auto and tire safety, we were extremely
impressed with the talent, skill and passion of our nation's youth. We
are proud to continue Safety Scholars as a contest for teens created by
teens."
More than 300 videos were submitted to last year's contest,
but the three unique stars of last year's winning Safety Scholars
videos included robots with road rage, text-messaging nutcracker dolls
and seatbelt-savvy Lego figurines.
In addition to scholarships,
the top four 2008 winners will showcase their videos to top automotive
journalists at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show.
2008 Safety Scholars Video Contest:
The
top 10 videos will appear on SafetyScholars.com and YouTube.com, in
addition to MySpace.com and Facebook.com on July 7. Viewers will then
select the winners through online voting at SafetyScholars.com.
The Rules:
. Safety videos must be 25 or 55 seconds in length.
. The first 300 video entries will be accepted May 27 - June 24 at SafetyScholars.com.
.
A panel of judges will choose the top 10 videos based on the following
criteria: how well the video compels viewers to be more
safety-conscious, including topics such as seat belt usage, tire safety
and avoiding in-vehicle distractions; and how well the video
effectively and creatively communicates its message.
The Results:
Grand
prize-winning videos will be announced on Aug. 8 at
SafetyScholars.com. In order to make videos easily accessible to young
drivers across the country, the winning entries will be posted on
TireSafety.com, SafetyScholars.com and other websites.
The
Safety Scholars Video Contest is offered by Bridgestone Firestone North
American Tire, LLC to promote driver safety and education among
America's youth. Participants must be 16- to 21-years-old, and a legal
resident of the 50 U.S. states or District of Columbia. Contestants
must also posses a valid driver's license and be currently enrolled as
a full-time student at an accredited secondary, college level or trade
school. Official Rules with complete entry, eligibility and prize
details are available on SafetyScholars.com.
Bridgestone Firestone has invested in a myriad of innovative driving
and tire safety education initiatives specifically targeted at young
drivers. The Bridgestone brand serves as presenting national sponsor
for Driver's Edge, a hands-on safe driving course that's offered free
of charge to teens in selected cities across the U.S. The company has
also aired a series of tire safety public service announcements
featuring Mario Andretti, legendary racer and Firestone spokesman.
Andretti, who has also toured the country talking to students about
auto and tire safety urging students to learn their M.A.R.I.O's (Mario
Andretti's Real Information on Safety), and the company has distributed
more than 30,000 M.A.R.I.O's safety booklets to teens across the
country. In 2006, Bridgestone Firestone created the very successful
Safety Scholars essay contest which generated the idea for the 2007
video contest as well as other safety education ideas the company is
implementing. More than 22,000 students entered the 2006 contest which
awarded $2,500 college scholarships to the three grand prize winners.
2008 safety scholars video contest
