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Student Video, Posters Win National AAA Safety Contests

22 May 1997

Student Video, Posters Win National AAA Safety Contests

    ORLANDO, Fla., May 22 -- A dramatic video portraying the
dangers of drinking and driving earned a New Jersey student top honors in the
inaugural AAA National Senior High Traffic Safety Communication Contest.
    Produced by Walter Pinnick, a senior at Passaic County High School in
Wayne N.J., the video, "Where are You Going After the Prom," earned the Grand
Award and a $500 U.S. savings bond.
    "Walter has created a frightening depiction of the consequences of drunk
driving," said Mark L. Edwards, managing director of AAA Traffic Safety.  "It
is a very powerful production that sends a very important message."
    AAA today also announced winners in the AAA National School Traffic Safety
Poster Program, a national contest for kindergarten through junior high school
students.  Thousands of students submitted hand-crafted posters depicting
traffic safety slogans.
    In the primary school group, the Grand Award went to Antanique Johnson, 7,
of Hanneman Elementary in Detroit.  In the elementary school division, the top
honor went to Michaela Thompson, 11, of North Park Middle School in Lockport,
N.Y.  Winning the junior division was Nova D'Innocenzo, 12, from Marymount
School in New York City.  Each earned a $500 U.S. savings bond.
    Pinnick's winning video opens with a group of teen-agers enjoying a high
school prom, but the mood quickly changes as four teens are involved in a
violent automobile crash.  Pinnick enlisted the help of local fire, rescue,
and police personnel to add realism to the video.
    This is the first year that videos, computer-generated art, essays,
cartoons and other communication forms dealing with traffic safety issues were
judged in the new contest especially created for high school students.
    A total of more than $17,000 in U.S. savings bonds was awarded through the
senior high communication and poster contests.
    "Traffic crashes are the number one cause of death among young people,"
said Edwards.  "The poster and high school communication contests help
students learn about safety issues that are vital to their lives."
    AAA is a not-for-profit federation of 99 clubs with more than 1,000
offices providing more than 39 million members in the U.S. and Canada with
travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services.

SOURCE  American Automobile Association