Schools

Hall High Awarded $6,000 in DMV's Teen Safe Driving Video Contest

The West Hartford school swept 3rd, 4th, and 5th places in the annual contest.

The three videos by Hall High School students that made the top 10 in the DMV's fifth annual Teen Safe Driving Contest swept third through fifth places in the final voting, earning the school a total award of $6,000.

Willimantic's Arts at the Capitol Theater – which has ranked in the top 10 every year that the contest has been run – won the $5,000 first place prize. Daniel Hand of Madison took second place, earning a $4,000 award. The awards for third fourth, and fifth places were $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000 respectively.

Technology Education students from Hall's Graphic Design/Photography classes created the videos. The Hall video that won third place was created by Griffin Anderson (student director) and Daniel O’Keefe. 

Hall's team of Henry Stein (student director), Matt Clark, Swarup Lamsal, Jack Moore, and Sorren Smith took fourth place

The video by Hall students Connor Dexter (student director), Samantha Bechard, Anya Dildin, Ben Elukin, Remy Gaulin, Patrick Keegan finished fifth

Nearly 500 students submitted a total of 128 videos this year in the "From the Driver’s Seat to the Director’s Chair" contest. The final awards were presented Tuesday night by highway safety advocates, state and other officials at the Travelers "Claim U" facility in Windsor. Travelers donated the $15,000 total in cash prizes which were awarded to the top five winners.

"We are proud of these top winning students and proud of the nearly 500 students who participated in the contest this year. As each of them created an important safety message while doing these videos," DMV Commissioner Melody A. Currey said in a news release.

"The theme – Teen Safe Driving - Are You In? – captures the question and the blunt message that's crucial in peer-to-peer communication. Congratulations to all the students who participated in this year’s contest,” Currey added.

The contest was started by the Connecticut DMV after it tougher teen driving laws regarding curfews and passengers restrictions were passed in 2008. 

The final winners were selected by a panel that included Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Atty. Gen. George Jepsen, Travelers Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Andy Bessette, and highways safety advocates.

Travelers Vice Chairman Doreen Spadorcia congratulated all of the participants and members of the teen advisory council who helped promote driver safety to their peers. “Through the creativity of the participants and leadership of the advisory council, Connecticut teens will be reminded of the responsibility they have when they get behind the wheel,” Spadorcia said in the release.

All of the top-10 entries in the Teen Safe Driving contest can be viewed here on YouTube.



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