Release from West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than 900 students and other guests are expected to attend an awards ceremony at Ripley High School today at 1:15 p.m. Students from the school submitted a video entry addressing the dangers of drinking and driving to the West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration for the 4th Annual NO School Spirits PSA contest. The students at Ripley High School competed against 22 other high schools across the state and this year a record 240 students participated in the program.
Ripley High School Principal Will Hosaflook is planning to allow the entire student body to take part in the event. In addition, West Virginia Secretary of Revenue Dave Hardy and ABCA Commissioner Fred Wooton will be on hand to present Certificates of Recognition from Gov. Jim Justice and award the grand prize of $5,000. The NO School Spirits PSA contest is funded with grants from State Farm, National Alcohol Beverage Control Association and the Governors Highway Safety Program.
The Ripley High School video entry was developed into a 60-second public service announcement and it will be unveiled at the event. A statewide media campaign to coincide with prom and graduation season will begin on today and run through mid-June 2017. A 30-second radio spot also will hit the airwaves. Ripley High’s PSA deals with the dangers and negative consequences that can occur if you choose to drink and drive.
Carson Broom, the student leader at Ripley High School, plans to discuss the importance of the program and how the student group developed the video. Broom said his team plans to spend the prize money on Project Graduation, materials for the Driver’s Education class, purchase video equipment for the journalism/video class. They also would like to bring in a motivational speaker to address alcohol and other drug issues and develop a student program for being alcohol and drug free.
Awards ceremonies for the second-place winner, Lewis County High School, will be on April 19 and the third-place winner, Oak Glen High School, will be on April 20. All winning videos can be viewed by visiting the ABCA website at www.abca.wv.gov.
