6 Students Win Grand Awards In AAA Traffic Safety Contests
15 May 2000
6 Students Win Grand Awards In AAA Traffic Safety Contests
ORLANDO, Fla.--May 15, 2000--Three high school seniors each won a Grand Award in the 4th annual AAA Senior High Communication Contest and three other students scored top honors in the 56th AAA National School Traffic Safety Poster Program, it was announced today.Earning the top prize of a $5,000 college scholarship each for their creative efforts in the senior high category were 17-year-old students Christopher McKenzie of Westerville South High School in Westerville, Ohio; Winnie Tzeng of Whittier Christian High School in La Habra, Calif.; and Jaclyn Brandofino of Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
McKenzie won for his animated video presentation, "Safe Driving Practices;" Tzeng won for her poster, "A safety belt a day keeps the doctor away;" and Brandofino received her award for an essay on the consequences of not wearing a safety belt.
Grand Award winners in the Poster Program were:
| -- | Primary Division - Gina D'Amico, 8, a third-grade student from Hilltop School in Mendham, N.J., for her illustration of the slogan, "Buckle Down and Buckle Up;" |
| -- | Elementary Division - John Kirkman, 10, a fourth-grade student at Schumann Elementary School in Orono, Minn., for his depiction of the slogan, "Be Seen After Dark;" and |
| -- | Junior High Division -- Boone Gray, 14, an eighth grader from Porter Elementary School in Maryville, Tenn., for his version of the slogan, "See and Be Seen." |
"Each one of the tens of thousands of students who enter the poster and communication competition helps AAA showcase the important role traffic safety plays in our lives every day," said Mark Edwards, managing director, AAA Traffic Safety.
"The winning students showed a great deal of imagination and artistic skills to create their entries and they should be commended for their efforts," Edwards added.
All Poster Program Grand Award winners will receive a $500 United States Savings Bond.
AAA clubs first judged entries in both competitions. The top 20 percent of these were forwarded to the AAA National Office for national judging.
The programs are designed to teach students valuable safety lessons. Each year students design posters using one of 20 slogans, with topics ranging from pedestrian and bicycle safety to encouraging safety belt use and pointing out the dangers of drinking and driving.
As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its 43 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.
