Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Announces Student Winners in Anti-Tobacco Video Contest

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Announces Student Winners in Anti-Tobacco Video Contest

Winners will be officially recognized at PIAA Wrestling Championships on March 10

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced the three winning teams who created powerful videos to reinforce and extend the commonwealth's anti-tobacco message to more than 630,000 high school students. After a very close competition, students from Fleetwood High School (Berks County), Cedar Crest High School (Lebanon County) and Upper St. Clair High School (Allegheny County) were chosen the winners of the "U MAKE THE CUT" anti-tobacco video contest.

Judges for the competition included the sponsors -- the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. -- and celebrity judges Hines Ward, the Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl XL MVP, and Randy Wolf, a Philadelphia Phillies pitcher. Ward and Wolf have been staunch supporters of Pennsylvania's anti-tobacco efforts by continually encouraging fans to stop using tobacco products or to never start using them.

"Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all of the high school students who participated in 'U MAKE THE CUT,'" said Governor Rendell. "Through this unique initiative, students developed videos that will help schools educate students about the dangers of tobacco, demonstrating Pennsylvania's commitment to using innovative methods to combat and prevent tobacco use."

The three winning videos are part of an overall anti-tobacco educational toolkit that the Department of Health teamed up with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) to develop and distribute to its members. According to the Department of Health, research shows that teens want to listen and learn from their peers, but that they also look to their role models, such as coaches and mentors, for good information.

One winning team was selected from each region of Pennsylvania (central, eastern and western) out of the more than 55 videos that were submitted from across the commonwealth. The winning videos are:

- From the eastern region, the winning video was entitled Ashes, created
by Andrew Valentino, Jordan Adames and Krista Leibensperger from
Fleetwood High School, Berks County.
- In the central region, Stay at the Top, produced by Jeffry Tyler and
Robert Wilson, students at Cedar Crest High School, Lebanon County, was
the winner.
- In the western region, the winning video was The Power to Choose,
created by Nathan Rubin and Chris Salera of Upper St. Clair High
School, Allegheny County.

State Secretary of Health Dr. Calvin Johnson will unveil the three winning videos at the PIAA Individual Wrestling Championships at the GIANT Center in Hershey on Friday, March 10, at 6:30 p.m.

"It was difficult to narrow down the winning entries," said Bradley R. Cashman, executive director of the PIAA. "The quality and creativity of the videos were extremely impressive. We hope that these videos will make students stop and think about the dangerous consequences of tobacco use, no matter what activity they choose to do."

Each winning team will receive an electronics prize package worth $5,000. Teams will have the opportunity to choose their prizes from devices that can be used for educational purposes, including personal computers, printers, MP3 players and digital cameras.

"U MAKE THE CUT" is the latest project in Pennsylvania's anti-tobacco campaign to encourage individuals to quit - or not start - using tobacco products and curb the retail sale of tobacco to minors. For more information on quitting smoking or using tobacco products, call Pennsylvania's Free Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, or visit http://www.state.pa.us/, keyword: Health. For more information on "U MAKE THE CUT," and to view the finalist videos, log on to http://www.umakethecut.com/.

The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us/.

CONTACT:
Kate Philips
717-783-1116

Melissa N. Mertz (PIAA)
717-697-0374

Source: Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

CONTACT: Kate Philips, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor,
+1-717-783-1116; or Melissa N. Mertz, PIAA, +1-717-697-0374

Web site: http://www.state.pa.us/
http://www.governor.state.pa.us/
http://www.umakethecut.com/

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