For more than seven decades, AAA has sponsored the annual Traffic Safety Poster contest. The hope is to stimulate creativity in students while teaching life-saving traffic safety messages. Each of the four divisions: Grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 were required to convey a specific traffic safety message:
• Grades K-2: Pedestrian and child passenger safety
• Grades 3-5: Getting to school safely
• Grades 6-8: How to be a good passenger
• Grades 9-12: Safe teen driving.
Gage Davis, a seventh-grader at Piqua Junior High School, took home a second place ribbon for his clever poster encouraging motorists not to text and drive. Gage loves drawing and said he found the project fun and hopes to participate next year.
Nylijah Lee-Black, a Westlake Village School fourth-grader, combined her love of art with her love of the old animated TV series “The Jetsons” to create a poster touting school safety patrols. She said, “I love coloring, and I got my idea from watching ‘The Jetsons.’ ”
Fairmont High School junior Jake Shook received second place for a creative message telling motorists to not drink and drive. “This was so much fun. It probably took me five hours of class time, but it just flew by,” he said. Shook used digital graphics to make a traffic light that conveyed a strong message.
Another Fairmont junior, Rachel Galen, also used graphics and Photoshop to portray the message not to drink and drive. “I looked online for inspiration, and then kind of did my own thing,” she said.
Daniela Estrada Resendez, a fifth-grader at St. Benedict the Moor, said she thought the whole project was “lots of fun.” “When I learned I had won Honorable Mention, I was so excited,” she said.
Halle Stephans, a Cleveland Elementary fifth-grader, created a poster warning viewers to “Beware of Your Surroundings.” Stephans’ great-aunt said that she was particularly proud of Halle because of some obstacles Halle has overcome: “She was in foster care the past two years, but she still loves art. This has been so good for her.”
Cindy Antrican, public affairs manager for AAA, said this year’s contest was one of the best ever when it comes to the artwork. “This contest was very meaningful to the students,” she said. Approximately 600 posters from 21 area schools participated in this year’s competition.
AAA awarded nearly $3,000 to students, teachers and schools. The prize money is presented on a three-tier-basis; the student, teacher and school receive matching awards. First place is $100, second place is $75 and third place is $50.
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