Jul 21, 2008

Finalists Chosen in Safety Scholars

Who can deliver a message that teens will pay attention to? Other teens. That is the premise of the Safety Scholars Video Contest, a national competition sponsored by Bridgestone Firestone in which 16- to 21-year-old drivers create short videos with the theme of auto safety. Budding video producers from across the country have utilized a variety of techniques, such as animation -- including stop motion with Lego figures -- and dramatic first-person testimonials, to deliver messages about the importance of auto and tire safety.

From 620 entries, a panel of judges has selected the top 10 videos based on how well they compel viewers to be more safety-conscious. Included are topics such as seat belt usage, tire safety and avoiding in-vehicle distractions plus how effectively and creatively the videos communicate their safety message. The videos, which are less than one minute in length, are now posted on the SafetyScholars Web site for online voting through July 25. Votes by the general public will determine three grand prize winners, who will be announced August 8. In order to make the finalists’ videos accessible to the widest possible audience of young drivers across the country, videos are also posted on YouTube and MySpace.

The grand prize winners will each be given the opportunity to have the winning video broadcast as a public service commercial by Bridgestone Firestone. Additionally, they’ll be awarded a $5,000 college scholarship and a trip to the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, where they will showcase their videos to automotive journalists from around the country. Each of the 10 finalists will also receive a new set of Bridgestone- or Firestone- branded tires.