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Thirty-two aspiring filmmakers from San Ramon Valley middle schools saw their films on the silver screen at the eighth annual Street Smarts “Be Reel!” Video Contest Premiere and Awards Ceremony. Four girls from Charlotte Wood Middle School walked away with the first place prize and three boys from Pine Valley Middle School came in second.
The video contest encourages middle school students to work in teams of up to four students to create a 60-second public service announcement video on a traffic safety theme. This year’s fall theme was Helmet Safety 101 and the spring theme was Be a Traffic Safety Mentor, where older students were instructed to make a film for their younger peers. Street Smarts received 91 video submissions from 262 students this school year and 14 were chosen as finalists.
“In current world of Youtube videos and smartphones, students in middle school are increasingly learning to connect to the world in online and video interfaces,” said Danville Vice Mayor Robert Storer said. “This contest encourages students to learn video editing software and how to use a camera.”
On Thursday, May 23, the 14 finalist videos were premiered at the Danville Village Theatre. Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich emceed the event and was joined on stage by tSan Ramon Mayor Bill Clarkson, Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen and School District Board President Ken Mintz.
The first place video, “This Is How You Cross the Street,” was created by Sabrina Sorokorensky, Olivia Coons, Brianna Lopez and Kathy Shi of Charlotte Wood Middle School. Their video featured a catchy song teaching viewers important steps to take when crossing the street: look right and left, use the crosswalk, and make eye contact with drivers.
Second place went to a video called “Helmet Safety” by Pine Valley students Ryan Wong, Andy Wang and Thinh Nguyen. With the use of great sound effects and editing, the boys’ video showed the dangers of not wearing a bicycle helmet.
Students from the winning teams each received trophies. In addition, each member of the first place team won a $100 Target gift card, and second place team members received iPod Shuffles.
All the finalists’ videos were aired on Contra Costa Television on May 24 and May 25. The first place video will be shown on CCTV throughout the year as a public service announcement. Links to all the finalist videos can be found by going to the Street Smarts website.
The “Be Reel” Video Contest is one of several programs offered by Street Smarts, a traffic safety education program that promotes awareness through various programs, school assemblies, bike rodeos, public events, print publications, and advertising.
“We do this event to provide more awareness around traffic safety and how it affects children in our community,” said district spokesman Terry Koehne. “We’re truly committed to changing the habits of bicyclists, pedestrians and drivers.”
Funded in part by a federal Safe Routes to School grant, Street Smarts is a collaborative effort by the City of San Ramon, the Town of Danville, the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, and the County of Contra Costa.
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Video Contest first place winners (front row: Kathy Shi, Hannah Maxwell (actor), Sabrina Sorokorensky, Brianna Lopez and Olivia Coons (Back row, from left): Danville Councilmember Robert Storer, San Ramon Mayor Bill Clarkson, School Board President Ken Mintz, Video Advisor Clinton Calkins, Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich and Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen. Photo by Alex Lopez/Street Smarts. -
Video Contest second place winners (Front row, from left): Thinh Nguyen, Ryan Wong and Andy Wang (Back row, from left) San Ramon Mayor Bill Clarkson, School Board President Ken Mintz, Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen and Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich. Photo by Alex Lopez/Street Smarts. -
Photo courtesy of Street Smarts. -
Photo courtesy of Street Smarts.
